Galloping Toward a Shared Future: Cultural exchange year deepens China–Malawi strategic partnership

Across Africa, the approach of the Chinese New Year reveals itself quietly but unmistakably. On the streets of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, where I’m based, splashes of red appear in shop windows, markets begin stocking festive ornaments, and conversations with African friends increasingly include plans for shared meals and cultural events.

This year, the Spring Festival arrives hand in hand with the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, giving the season a broader meaning that stretches far beyond national borders.

Even from a distance, I feel the familiar warmth of the festival. And as celebrations take shape across the continent, I’m reminded that cultural traditions, even those thousands of kilometers apart, carry a universal longing for reunion, reflection, and renewal.

Where Traditions Meet

Social media offers a window into the Spring Festival activities held in Lilongwe and Blantyre, Malawi. Dragon dances, calligraphy workshops, and community gatherings organized by Chinese and Malawian partners no longer feel like replicas imported from abroad. They’ve taken root locally, shaped by the communities who welcome them.

These scenes echo what happens in China when families gather around the Spring Festival Gala, or Chunwan. In Malawi, I find the same spirit reflected in Umoyo wabanja—the value placed on family and community well-being. The parallels are subtle, but they form the emotional bridge between our peoples.

At the same time, Malawian cultural treasures—from the powerful Gule Wamkulu to the evocative melodies of the Mbira—are increasingly appreciated in Chinese cultural centers and through joint performances.

When Gule Wamkulu dancers share a stage with Chinese artists, the exchange feels natural, a testament to genuine mutual curiosity.

It seems no coincidence that these moments unfold in the Year of the Horse, a symbol of strength and progress in both China and Malawi. After a year of reporting from Africa, I’ve come to see how deeply our cultures resonate with one another. These shared rhythms, often unspoken, give China–Malawi cooperation its human grounding.

Fostering Long-Term Engagement

Within the broader China–Malawi relationship, culture is increasingly recognized as essential, standing alongside trade, infrastructure, and agriculture as a pillar of cooperation.

Since diplomatic ties were established in 2007, the partnership has advanced steadily. A defining moment came in 2024, when relations were elevated to a Strategic Partnership at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit. This step was more than diplomatic vocabulary; it paved the way for concrete progress.

In December 2024, China granted zero-tariff treatment to all taxable goods from Malawi, contributing to an 11 percent rise in bilateral trade to $266 million, despite global economic uncertainty.

Infrastructure cooperation remains visible across Malawi’s urban landscape. The Parliament Building, Bingu National Stadium, and the International Conference Center stand as landmarks of long-term collaboration. The recent signing of a 2.4 trillion kwacha ($1.37 billion) railway project linking Lilongwe to Mbeya in Tanzania also promises direct access to the port of Dar es Salaam.

Meanwhile, the revival of the Marka–Blantyre railway—receiving its first diesel freight train in 21 years—signals a country reconnecting with its regional lifelines.

Shifting Toward Innovation and Skills

What excites me most, as a reporter observing Africa’s development, is how cooperation is evolving from “bricks and mortar” to high-tech connectivity.

At the Malawi University of Science and Technology, founded with Chinese support, students today assemble drones for disaster response and explore Special Economic Zone models drawn from Shenzhen and Shanghai. It feels like a glimpse of Malawi’s future innovators at work.

When it comes to agriculture, the Science and Technology Backyard model is reshaping smallholder farming. Chinese agricultural knowledge, combined with Malawi’s mega-farm vision and micro-irrigation projects in districts like Thyolo and Mulanje, is enhancing both yields and export potential. By placing postgraduate researchers directly in villages, the program has become a hallmark of South-South cooperation—practical, grounded, and sustainable.

Healthcare cooperation continues to deepen as well. Since 2008, 12 Chinese medical teams, comprising 205 personnel, have served in Malawi. New sister-hospital partnerships emphasize specialized training and long-term capacity building, strengthening the health system from within.

Those all embody the wisdom of a Chinese saying that “it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish.”

Looking Ahead

The China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges will open more avenues for storytelling, artistic collaboration, and youth-driven projects. If nurtured, people-to-people ties will enrich the China–Malawi Strategic Partnership far beyond traditional aid, aligning “Malawi 2063” with China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

As we enter the Year of the Horse, the momentum feels undeniable. This partnership is not simply progressing—it is galloping forward, powered by shared values, deepening trust, and a common aspiration for modernization and prosperity.

When the “Warm Heart of Africa” meets the “Chinese Dream”, the possibilities ahead are both wide and bright.