Malawi, China in new phase

Chinese Ambassador Zhang Qingyang says Malawi and China have entered a new stage in their partnership that will benefit the country in various ways.

Zhang said this in Blantyre yesterday when he handed over 12 sets of computers his government has donated to taxpayer-funded Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC).

He said this was an addition to the assistance in various fields which his country is already giving to Malawi, including in the media, agriculture and public health.

Zhang further said China was keen to see a strengthened partnership between MBC and China, to enhance the people-to-people professional exchange programme.

“MBC is a very important organisation for the nation and needs better equipment for its operations. And this is our starting of collaboration with MBC as we also look at more ways of enhancing our cooperation as well as the people-to-people exchange,” he said.

During the event, Zhang also took a tour of the rehabilitation works at MBC’s Kwacha studios where the Chinese government is assisting in renovating the production and commercial offices.

He said he made the donation after realising, during his visit two months ago, that the working environment for MBC employees was not conducive due to lack of modern equipment.

MBC board chairperson Moffat Banda applauded the Chinese government for the donation which he said would enhance the quality of output and ease operational challenges the corporation was facing.

He said: “The donation is timely because for a long time MBC did not have computers; several employees have been using one computer in one room, so this donation will raise their morale.”

Banda said China does not give to Malawi because it has a lot but because it has the country at heart. n