BLANTYRE, Malawi: Tiny, impoverished Malawi heads into the new year debating whether to sever its decades-long diplomatic relationship with Taiwan in favor of its economically mighty foe, China.
The government of President Bingu wa Mutharika has publicly assured Taipei of continued ties — but has acknowledged dispatching two senior Cabinet ministers to Beijing for talks shortly before Christmas.
Malawian officials say it is too early to speculate about any change of foreign policy, but concerned Taiwanese officials summoned the African nation's ambassador to address rumors of a possible change in allegiance.
The list of nations with diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a democratic island nation of some 23 million people that split from communist China in 1949 amid civil war, is dwindling as countries establish ties with economically burgeoning China.
In 1967, 67 nations had relations with Taipei; in the past two years, Costa Rica and Senegal have switched their allegiances to China, leaving Taiwan with ties to just 24 nations, most of them small and poor like Malawi.
Taiwan devotes huge effort and resources to keeping the allegiance of its allies by giving them grants and other inducements — which in 2006 amounted to some US$531 million (€393 million).
It has pumped million of dollars into high-profile development projects in Malawi, including those in agriculture, health and technology.
Taiwan's very visible presence in Malawi is in contrast to most other African countries, such as nearby Zimbabwe and Zambia, where Chinese influence is huge.
Mutharika has been a vocal advocate of Taiwan joining the United Nations — a move blocked by U.N. Security Council member China — saying that it doesn't make sense to deny membership to a democratic country.
But sources say despite his public support for Taiwan, the Mutharika administration has been exploring ways to cultivate new relations with China. Beijing reportedly has pledged US$6 billion (€4 billion) to develop a waterway on Malawi's Shire River to link the landlocked country to neighboring Mozambique's sea ports.
Malawi's ambassador to Taiwan, Thengo Maloya, was summoned by the Taiwanese Foreign Affairs Minister last month to clarify "rumors" of the impending severance of ties between the two nations following reports about the Beijing visit.
"The Taiwanese are becoming too jittery too early," Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ben Mbewe said. "It is not a crime to talk to another member country of the United Nations."
Presidential and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Davis Katsonga and Energy and Mining Minister Henry Chimunthu Banda have remained tightlipped about their mission in China.
"As far as I am concerned, this issue has never been discussed at a Cabinet level so therefore, there has been no change in policy regarding our relations with Taiwan," said Foreign Affairs Minister Joyce Banda.
Opposition leaders have urged the Mutharika administration to consider the benefits of a long-term relationship with Beijing.
"Normally, when you choose partners in diplomatic circles, you go where you would get maximum benefits," he said. He cited China's massive economy and said "it would be stupid not to recognize that."
But a coalition of 12 mainly religious non-governmental groups called the Civic and Political Space Platform urged the government to consider Beijing's human rights record and reminded it of Taiwan's generosity and support over the past 43 years.
"History shows how hearts are devastated when men and women are incapable of recognizing other values or other effective realities apart from material goods," the group said in a paid newspaper advertisement. "There is a saying that grass looks greener on the other side of the river bank."
Tuesday, 1 January 2008
Leopards plan to forge close links with Malawi
Black Leopards have unveiled an ambitious plan to establish a long-term relationship with Malawi football fraternity when they tour the country next month.
Leopards want to establish sister relationship with TNM Super League teams and help in exporting Malawian players to Europe.
According to Lidoda Duvha boss David Thidiela will also give priority to Malawian players when signing foreigners after being impressed with the displays of Flame’s trio Peter Mponda, Robert Ng’ambi and Fischer Kondowe.
Thidiela said Leopards were anxiously waiting to play Malawi’s top four clubs during the tour.
“Malawi is now our second home,” Thidiela told the Malawian media.
“The pillar of Black Leopards is Peter Mponda, Robert Ng’ambi and Fischer Kondowe. In addition, we also have our agent Kondie Msungama in Malawi.”
Leopards want to camp for three weeks in Malawi then proceed to Mozambique where they will play a benefit match in honour of their former captain Fernando Matola, who was killed in a car accident alongside his wife and two children while driving from South Africa to Tanzania for an international match for the Mambas three months ago.
Leopards have since given the captaincy to Mponda.
“We want to visit Malawi as a way of saying ‘thank you’ to the Malawians for giving us such quality players,” Thidiela explained.
“We want to plough back to Malawi. We realise that it’s easy for South African players to be spotted by European clubs so we want Leopards to act as a shopping window for Malawian players. We want to help uplift your football standards.”
Leopards would travel to Malawi by bus and want the local teams to provide them food, accommodation and domestic transport. They would not get gate collections.
The dates of the trip are yet to be fixed by Fam and Super League of Malawi (Sulom).
“The Malawian soccer authorities need to speed up preparations for our visit, tell us who we are playing and on which dates and we are ready to come,” Thidiela said.
Sulom president Henry Chibowa has disclosed that Lidoda Duvha will they meet the top four teams, Escom United, MTL Wanderers, Silver Strikers and Big Bullets, this week to strategise on Leopards’ visit.
“We also want to host an international club championship next month, so we are strategising but Leopards’ tour is already confirmed,” Chibowa said.
“We will come up with the actual dates of their tour when we meet the clubs next week but obviously it would be after the Super League’s prize presentation.”
Top teams from Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi are expected to take part in the other club championship being held in a bid to uplift the standards in the countries.
Commenting on Leopards’ visit, Msungama said there was a prospect that the team would sign some players in the January transfer window.
“There is winger we have earmarked but I will disclose his identity when everything is ready,” said Msungama last week.
But Thidiela said currently Leopards had exhausted its quota of five foreign players.
“But if we will spot a good player, we will definitely sign him and sell him to another team in South Africa,” said the Leopards’ boss.
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