On January 15, 2009, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, at invitation, paid an official visit to Malawi. On that day, Yang took time off his busy schedule to visit the Chinese embassy in the country. He extended cordial greetings to all the embassy staffs and representatives of local Chinese-funded organizations and overseas Chinese people, took group photos with them and delivered an important speech.

Since China and Malawi established diplomatic ties one year ago, the bilateral relations have developed steadily and cooperation which was launched in various fields achieved significant progress, said Yang. President Mutharika, when meeting with Yang, expressed satisfaction with the bilateral friendly cooperation and spoke highly of China's disaster relief efforts and successful holding of the Olympic Games last year. The purpose of Yang's visit to Malawi was to enhance understanding and friendship, expanding common consensus, advancing pragmatic cooperation and comprehensively promoting the friendly partnership between China and Malawi.

Having briefly introduced the current international situation, domestic situation and China-Malawi relations, the foreign minister noted his visit once again demonstrated to the African countries that a friend in need is a friend indeed. The Chinese government attaches great importance to developing relations with Africa including Malawi. Even faced with the severe international financial crisis, China would not cut assistance or investment in Africa including Malawi and would, as always, help them to realize sustainable growth.

He fully recognized the achievements made by the embassy over the past year, expressed admiration to the local Chinese-funded organizations and overseas Chinese for their love for and donations to the motherland at the time of major disaster. He made highly positive comments on their patriotism and contributions to the development of China-Malawi relations and expressed hope they would do more to promote the progress of bilateral ties.

He also added that leaders of the foreign ministry, knowing of the recent cholera epidemic in Malawi's capital, were deeply concerned about the health of the embassy staffs. He took with him the vaccine for the staffs and local overseas Chinese, asked them to pay attention to food hygiene and take care of themselves and extended Spring Festival greetings to them.

Ambassador Lin said that the visit of Foreign Minister Yang to Malawi on the occasion of the 1st anniversary of bilateral ties, despite of being short, achieved fruitful outcome and injected new dynamism and vigor into China-Malawi relations. As the first visit of Chinese foreign minister to Malawi, it was particularly significant and would go down to the history of bilateral ties.

Lin expressed gratitude to Yang for taking time off his busy schedule to visit the embassy staffs and representatives of local Chinese-funded organizations and overseas Chinese and bringing to them the cholera vaccine. Stressing that the visit showed the leaders of foreign ministry took care of them, he appealed to the participants of the meeting to make double efforts and press ahead to repay the Party, motherland and people with tangible actions.