Standard Bank Malawi hosts Chinese mid-autumn festival celebrations
Standard Bank over the weekend hosted the Chinese mid-autum festival celebrations in Lilongwe with a promise to take a lead in hosting some activities and events aimed at providing a platform for Chinese and Malawi business interests to connect with each other.
Speaking during the function, Standard Bank Acting Chief Executive Temwani Simwaka said the hosting of the event shows that they are a true Pan-African Bank with Chinese blood.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is the second grandest festival in China after the Chinese New Year.
“It’s said the moon is the brightest and roundest on this day which means family reunion thus why this day is important to the Chinese Culture. As a bank that has Chinese element in its blood, the Mid-Autumn Festival presents an opportunity to connect with the important partner of our
business,” she said.
In June 2015, Standard Bank Malawi held a Chinese Business Forum in conjunction with the Chinese Embassy that had representatives from the Ministry of Trade, the Reserve Bank, and the
Chinese Ambassador to Malawi Shi Ting Wang said the celebrations show that they care about China’s development even when they are in Malawi.
“Since the founding of China, particularly since the reform and opening up almost 40 years ago, China has made enormous achievements thanks to the unremitting efforts of the people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
“China has maintained an average annual growth rate of nearly 10 percent, way above the global average of three percent. This big country with a several thousand year old civilization and more than 1.3 billion people has enjoyed rapid and sustained development. It has not only changed itself but also the world as it is supporting one-fifth of the world’s population with 7.9 percent of world’s farmland and 6.5 percent of the world’s fresh water,” he said.
In Malawi, Ambassador Wang said the pragmatic cooperation in many fields are bringing tangible benefits to the people of the two countries.
Among others, he cited the Bingu International Convention Center, Parliament building, Bingu National Stadium, Kalonga-Chitipa road and Malawi University of Science and Technology as some projects fromthe Chinese which have greatly changed the skylines of the country.
“At the same time, we attach great importance in promoting human resources development in the country. In the past few years, we provided scholarships for about 100 Malawians every year. In the same period, we also provided about 600 short term training opportunities for Malawi annually,” he said.
Wang applauded Malawi for being traditionally peaceful agricultural country with honest and industrious people.
He added that Standard bank is one of the most important commercial banks in Malawi which is always there to render assistance to Chinese people in the country.
“It has always been offering hell to Chinese companies and companies from other countries when they invest in Malawi. I believe that as China’s investment in Malawi grows bigger and bidder, Standard Bank Malawi will also enjoy further development,” he said.
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