China has pledged to support the media in Malawi in order to develop stronger ties between Malawi and China.
Chinese ambassador to Malawi, Shi Ting Wang said this when he visited Nation Publications Limited (NPL) head office in Blantyre earlier today. He said his government values the important role the media in Malawi plays in sustaining cultural ties between Malawi and China.
Wang who also donated two laptop computers and two sets of recorders said NPL is one of the most important media organizations in the country and is important for the understanding between the people of the two countries.
“We wish that in the future NPL will play even a bigger role in the nation building and the consolidation of friendship between Malawi and China,” he said.
According to Wang, China has committed itself to assist Malawi in various development endeavors such as in the areas of infrastructure development, health and education sectors.
He cited the two agreements that the Chinese government has signed with the Ministry of Health for an exchange programme and another one with Treasury to construct five community colleges in the country.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer for NPL Alfred Ntonga praised the Chinese government for playing a vital role in the development of the country and in helping develop skills among journalists in the country.
“We very much appreciate the continued assistance from the Chinese government and as a media house we are very privileged to have been one of the beneficiaries. The pieces of the equipment we have received will go a long way in facilitating news processing. Notwithstanding, the fact that our journalists are benefitting from training programmes in China.”
Currently, a number of Malawian journalists are undertaking ten month training in China with Chinese government meeting all the expenses. This will be preceded by another one for editors later in the year.
Malawi and China have been in diplomatic relations since 2008 which have been characterised by a number of development projects such as the Parliament building and Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, the Karonga-Chitipa Road and the Malawi University for Science and Technology (Must) at Ndata in Thyolo district.
