The Voice of the Maltese (driven by the voice of its readers ) Issue 80 oonnlliinnee mmaaggaazziinnee July 22, 2014 Malta first European country to formalise medium-term plan with China Since the esta tie blishme s in 1972 nt of dip manag , Malta a lomatic ed to est nd Chin ful and ablish a a have active p rich, me have b artnersh aning- een furt ip. Thes the si her stren e ties gning on gthened been de June 10 with scribed a , of wha Medium s a histo t has w -Term Co ric five-y ill take th operatio ear e coope n Plan th Maltese Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muscat two coun ration be at tries to a tween th (left) and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang nother le e vel. (see shake hands in Guiyang, over a historic pa five-year agreement ge 2) Victims of MH17 air crash Hans van den Hende, Shaliza Dewa and chil - dren Piers, 15, Marnix, 12, and Margaux, 8, who were among the 37 Australian citizens killed on flight MH17. (see story on page 17) 2 The Voice of the Maltese Tuesday July 22, 2014 Malta first European country to formalise medium-term plan with China The Maltese PM (centre left) and Mr Keqiang wit - ness the signing of the MoM by Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech (left) and China’s Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Yesu (right) (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) Malta and PR China sign historic 5-year agreement ince the establishment of diplomatic cent years. He said Malta would take the Exchanges will take place between re - ties in 1972, Malta and China have signing of the MoU as an opportunity to search institutions and Universities. Confu - Smanaged to establish a rich, meaning - further expand bilateral cooperation in var - cius Classrooms will be established in ful and active partnership. These ties be - ious areas, and that it will utilise its geo - selected Maltese schools to promote the tween the Governments of Malta and that graphical advantage to pursue greater study of the Chinese language and Chinese of the People’s Republic of China have achievements in EU-China cooperation. Universities will look at opening a fully- been further strengthened with the signing He said that the two sides discussed invest - fledged Mediterranean campus. on June 10, of what has been described as a ment in aviation, improvement of double- Airlines and cargo carriers will be encour - historic five-year Medium-Term Coopera - taxation agreements, financial services and aged to operate direct flights between the tion Plan (from 2014 to 2019) that will take new financial instruments for Chinese fund - two countries while investment in aircraft the already well established cooperation be - ing of projects in Malta. maintenance and repair will take place in tween the two countries to another level. Before the signing, the Maltese PM, who both Malta and China. Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech and was in China for the Eco Forum Global An - On the cultural side, there will be an ex - China’s Executive Vice Minister of Foreign nual Conference in Guiyang, the Provinc of change of performances and exhibitions Affairs Zhang Yesui signed the Memoran - southwest China's Guizhou, had a meeting and a project to translate and publish each dum of Understanding at a ceremony at the with Li at the Great Hall of the People. other’s literary classics. Co-operation will Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Through the Cooperation Plan Malta will be encouraged in film, television and digital in the presence of Prime Minister Joseph benefit from investment and the technical games and sporting exchanges. Muscat and the Premier of the State Coun - and management capabilities of the Chi - Hailing the traditional friendship and close cil of China Li Keqiang. nese. The financial service sector was an - cooperation between the two countries, Li This is the first formal Medium-Term Co - other area of cooperation identified between said China attached high importance to the operation Plan that China has signed with a the two countries, which will encourage fi - bilateral ties, and was ready to work with European country. The first meeting for the nancial institutions within their jurisdiction Malta to implement the medium-term plan of implementation of the plan will be held in to operate in each other’s territories. the two governments for bilateral relations. November this year. Malta and China have agreed that tourism He said Malta, in central Mediterranean, Describing the agreement as future look - is an important industry in its own right and has the geographical advantage of easy ac - ing and a further step forward in the rela - that they shall facilitate and promote the cess to markets. China will expand cooper - tions between the two countries Prime growth of tourism between the two countries. ation with Malta in such areas as trade, Minister Joseph Muscat said: “This is an The two sides will work closely on energy energy, infrastructure construction, ocean important milestone for our country and we and infrastructure projects, that include re - and tourism. He hoped Malta, as a good are looking at investment from China with search and development in green and low friend and partner of China within the Eu - an open mind on a number of areas speci - carbon energy, the development of renew - ropean Union, would continue to play a fied in the MoU.” able energy resources and production of en - positive role for the development of China- He added that Malta-China relations, ergy saving equipment. Infrastructure EU relations. based on mutual understanding and mutual projects could include breakwaters, bridges The first meeting for the implementation respect, have seen great development in re - and monorail ventures. of the plan will be held in November 2014. Tuesday July 22, 2014 The Voice of the Maltese 3 A record sum of €476,228 was raised in TVM2 to Fr Martin Micallef, the 53 hours during the sixth edition of the director of the House. It was fol - Volleyball Marathon in aid of Dar tal- lowed by a live interview with Providenza that was held at the residence's Mr. Borg on the same channel. car park in Siggiewi, Malta. The sum beat The residence offers a family last year’s amount by €26,228 and in - atmosphere to various disabled cFludPed Hthe s uNm ofS $AW36,00 0d ( €o24,n700a) tpeersson s $whAo, fo3r so6me, r0eas0on0 or raised by The Friends of Providence another, cannot live within the House NSW Australia. community. The house also of - The marathon (June 4-6), during which fers a respite service to families 3a00s v olDunteaersr an dt 4a0 plla-yePrs troook pvart,idofe dinsabzleda pe rrsonas ainsd ewos rks was inaugurated on Friday by Her Excel - on projects for the inclusion of lency the President of Malta, Marie- Lroueisec Coleiro Pdrec a sum in Marathon in the presence of Mrs. Michelle Mus - cat, the wife of the Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muscat, who is also chairperson of denza is delivering, keeps being sustained the BOV’s Marigold and improved. Foundation, the ma- H.EI.t tihs ea Pknroeswidn efnact tM thatr iDe-aLr toaul-iPsero Cviodlenirzoa in sponsor of the offers rPerseidcean acty t wheit Mhina raa ”thfaomn ily” envi - Marathon, Minister Dr Michael Farrugia, residents in the community. ronment to a number of persons with dif - Hon. Parliamentary Secretary Justine In comments he made to , Mr. ferent disabilities, whilst respecting their Caruana, and NP Mr. Clyde PuFliP MHP N. S W’s cshaeidq uite w parse sae ngtredat teox Dpearri eiln-cPer ofovri dheinmz a to rights and dignity. The Friends of Providence House of meet the President and the First Lady who Besides the three residencies that make NSW Australia, which is also a sponsor, both pledged their support to the Dar tal- up the main complex in Si©©iewi, Dar tal- was represented by its Coordinator, Mr. Providenza. Both also exTphree Vssoeidc e their Providenza also offers its services from Jim Borg, who presented to the Dar a che- keenness to visit Australia and while there Dar Ûerniq in the Si©©iewi community, que for $36,000 that the group had raised get involved in The Friends of Providence and Akkwarell, another home within the from its activities in Australia. House NSW’s fund-raising functions. Qawra community and Dar Pirotta that is He pointed out that the funds were raised Meanwhile, anyone wishing to make do - a communal home in B’Kara. from Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. nations in Australia to the Dar can do so In all, Dar tal-Providenza caters for 105 He acknowledged the sponsorship from at any branch of the Commonwealth Bank residents. The youngest is only two years Breakaway Travel Blacktown and thanked on the Friends of Providence House NSW old and the eldest is 82 years. The Voice of the Maltese online magazine A/C, BSB 062 416 A/C number 10199448 for its continued support to this group. Funds raised throughout the year ensure The presentation was made live on that the great service that Dar tal-Provi - Malta Govt buys Sciortino’s ‘Speed’ for €130,000 he Maltese Govt. through the National TAgency for Heritage Malta has purcha- sed, for the National Collection at a public auction, Antonio Sciortino’s sculpture 'Spe- ed' (above) for the price of € 163,000 . This sculpture is one of the most important works created by Antonio Sciortino when he was director of the British Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. He had a phase called ‘Futur - ista’, when his subject was horses.