Chinese Ambassador to Malawi Liu Hongyang (R) presents a video camera to a Times Group official at their head office in Blantyre, Malawi, Dec. 20, 2019. (Xinhua/Kenneth Jali)

The relationship between Malawi and China, forged 12 years ago, has contributed to the visionary dream of Malawi's leaders to transform the nation into a prosperous one.

BLANTYRE, Malawi, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Walking or driving in the main cities of Malawi, one would notice how these cities have changed significantly in terms of infrastructure and other aspects of development.

For the past 12 years, Malawians have witnessed the emergence of world-class infrastructure such as high-quality roads, public stadiums, five-star hotels, mentioning but a few.

These achievements, on the one hand, can be attributed to the hard efforts of Malawians. On the other, they are also due to the good relationships between Malawi and its development partners, particularly China.

The relationship between Malawi and China, forged 12 years ago, has contributed to the visionary dream of Malawi's leaders to transform the nation into a prosperous one.

China, which established diplomatic relations with Malawi on Dec. 28, 2007, has for the past 12 years dedicated itself to improving the development of Malawi, and other African countries in general.

During the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit held in 2018, China pledged a commitment to Africa's development cooperation over the next three years and beyond, covering fields such as industrialization, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, and green development.

Projects in the bilateral agreement of Malawi and China have included those in energy, road infrastructure, and governance, among others.

For instance, since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China-Malawi economic and trade cooperation has developed rapidly and yielded fruitful results. The Malawi Parliament Building, the Malawi University of Science and Technology, and the Karonga-Chitipa road, which were aided by China, have been completed in succession.

Furthermore, the Malawi International Conference Center and Business Hotel, and the Bingu National Stadium, were also financed and built by the Chinese. These projects have become the landmark buildings that the people of Malawi take pride in.

According to the Chinese embassy in Malawi, the two countries have also witnessed rapidly growing cooperation in other sectors including culture, education, sports, health, and youth, among others.

It's hoped that Malawi's journey to gain prosperity will be facilitated by the ever-stronger bilateral ties. ■