Mutharika hails China ‘aid’ to Malawi as West still withhold budgetary support

President Peter Mutharika has applauded the Chinese Government for playing a significant role in transforming Malawi’s socio-economic landscape since the establishment of diplomatic relations on 27th December, 2007.

Mutharika made the remarks on Sunday at a news conference on the sidelines of the African Union summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Responding to a question from a Chinese news agency Xinhua, Mutharika said China-Malawi relations have been developing quite well in a relatively short time of eight times since the two countries established diplomatic ties.

Mutharika said the Chinese have been investing in sanitation projects in Malawi, a critical social program for the public health, and the Chinese companies in Malawi are actively taking up their social responsibilities while engaging in economic activities in the country.

“I feel grateful for that,” the Malawi leader said.

Malawi, which depends on mostly Western donors to bankroll most of its development programs, has benefitted a lot of infrastructure development with support of the Chinese – of course most on long term loans.

Several Western donor nations are withholding aid to Malawi in reaction to a growing scandal over government graft known as Cashgate.

Mutharika, the brother of president Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office in April 2012, declared that Malawi will look for “new friends” in countries such as Russia and China – nations who care less on issues of human rights and governance.

Notable projects that China has helped Malawi include the New Parliament building, Karonga-Chitipa –Road and Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) with a 80 million U.S. dollars loan. The university has been operating since 2014.

Mutharika said China in last October provided his government a credit line of 25 million U.S. dollars in aid for which Lilongwe officials will propose a number of social projects, particularly the building of schools to tap the fund.

China recently pledged more support for Malawi in several areas including education, Health, Agriculture, Transport, Business and Telecommunication.

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