President Peter Mutharika says is pleased with the Chinese business investor’s interests in sectors of Industry, Agriculture and Education.
A group of Chinese business investors from Anhui Province are in the country to attend the first ever ‘Malawi-China Investment Forum’ this Tuesday, 21st June 2016 at Golden Peacock Hotel in the capital city, Lilongwe.
Speaking at Kamuzu Palace on Monday evening, during the audience with the representatives from the People’s Republic of China, President Mutharika said the Chinese Investors have made “Strategic choice of focus.”
“These three areas are strategic to Malawi’s economic paradigm shift” stressed President Mutharika
Over 80 Chinese Investors are in the country to look for investment opportunities and according to Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Joseph Mwanamvekha, the Chinese investors will meet with over 200 Malawi business companies so that they can make business deals that includes joint ventures.
“Industry is key to achieving the aspirations of both our National Export Strategy and our Malawi Growth and Development Strategy.” Noted President Mutharika during the audience
“Under this strategy, we intend to make Malawi a producing and exporting country.” Said Mutharika while noting that presently the industry remains very narrow despite numerous investment opportunities, and urged the Chinese investors to establish industries in wide range of sectors saying Malawi needs transformational investment that will substitute imports and propel exports.
Turning to Agriculture, President Mutharika said, this is a strategic sector which remains backbone of the country’s economy.
The sector constitutes smallholder farmers, accounting for over 70% of all primary commodity production.
But the Malawi leader said the country needs to invest in large scale commercial agriculture and add value to primary commodities in order to export processed products. He then told the delegation that Malawi is moving away from the primary commodities that form the bulk of the country’s exports at present.
President Mutharika also expressed gratitude for the Chinese investor’s choice on education sector particularly to develop technical colleges. He said the sector is also very strategic in his Government as it will support Malawi’s economy through skilled labour.
“Skills development is a primary necessity for developing Malawi” said Mutharika
He highlighted that this area will empower youth who form the majority of the country’s population with technical areas that will enable them to become entrepreneurs. He expressed hope that by investing in technical colleges and skills education, the Chinese, “have strategically focused on an area that will touch the lives of many Malawians.”
President Mutharika also emphasized that these three areas are below optimal levels and are among key sectors that Government is vigorously reforming the business environment in Malawi.
“The three areas you have chosen are a heart of my vision. And I want to thank you for coming to Malawi to support my vision and the big dreams of the people of Malawi” added Mutharika who at the begin described the Chinese business investor’s visit “as a historical gesture that affirms the cordial and growing relations between the Peoples Republic of China and Malawi
In his remarks, Vice Governor of the Province of Anhui, Mr. Song Weiping who is leading the delegation of the Chinese investors, agreed with president on the need to give high priority to education saying the sector helped to develop the economy of China.
He said the delegation from China is ready to realize all the possible investment opportunities and development and do their contribution to Malawian people.
“We have much in common, much to do in future not only in the seed producing area but also in agricultural machinery and so on.” Said Mr. Weiping who indicated that the delegation includes the Director General and Deputy Director General of Agricultural Commission and others from Science Commission who are in Malawi to also provide their assistance
He said he believes Malawians are hardworking, industrious with wisdom and therefore anticipate great potential for the investment and development.
“This forum will be historical event in the cooperation between Malawi and China and our province with your country. In my opinion, I think this is the only beginning of the long time cooperation.” Said Mr. Weiping who encouraged the Malawi president to begin more exchange visits of people between the two countries
Speaking about the relations between Malawi and China and Anhui province, he said in the recent year’s, the cooperation between two countries has grown. He mentioned that even trade volume between Malawi and Anhui has also exceeded to 10 million US dollars and that steel, textile, bicycles and auto parts produced in Anhui are very popular in Malawi whiles wooden products have also been really popular in Chinese province.
He further mentioned that due to good relations, some Anhui enterprises have built projects including Parliament Building and the new University in Malawi which proves that that the environment Malawi is good and that such success also paves the way for more cooperation from Anhui to Malawi.
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