President and Madame Lee Teng-hui tonight host a state banquet at the Office of the President in honor of visiting Malawi President Bakili Muluzi, Madame Bakili, and their delegation members.
During the banquet, President Lee praised President Muluzi for his outstanding leadership under which a series of economic and financial restructuring programmes have been under way to keep government budget and expenditures under control, increase revenues, promote development, and eliminate poverty.
In the international arena, President Lee notes, Malawi had made positive contributions to peace not only in Africa, but throughout the world, by sending peace-keeping troops to war-torn Rwanda, and initiating peace talks between Uganda and the Sudan.
President Lee also points out that, as a long-standing staunch friend of the Republic of Malawi, the Republic of China attaches great importance to relations between the two countries, and looks forward to doing her best to facilitate economic development in Malawi. An ROC delegation made an on-the-spot tour of tobacco-growing areas in Malawi last August to increase purchase of leave tobacco there, while an ROC trade and investment mission is visiting Malawi at this very moment to further bilateral economic and trade ties, President Lee says.
Meanwhile, President Lee extends his heartfelt thanks to Malawi government and people for their strong support for the ROC bid to be a part of the United Nations.
In return, President Muluzi thanks the ROC for various assistance she has extended to Malawi. He says he foresees even closer cooperation between the two countries in the future.
Prior to the state banquet, President Lee and President Muluzi exchange views on issues of mutual concern at President Lee's Reception Room.