We should indeed be grateful to the Prime Minister for setting our minds at rest that Malta is not selling its soul to the Chinese. You have to take his word for it, especially since he has already sold our identity through the sale of passports scheme.

We should also be thankful to him, his wife and two children, chief of staff Keith Schembri, Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech, Labour MP Deo Debattista, Malta’s Ambassador to China Clifford Borg Marks, the government’s special envoy to China Sai Mizzi (who we now learn is working for peanuts!) and the unnamed others, for their untiring ‘collective’ efforts to procure such a breathtaking cooperation agreement with communist China.

Of particular interest appear to be the Confucius classrooms that could be set up in Maltese secondary schools in an endeavour to foster a better understanding of Chinese culture among Maltese youths (grown-ups already have a good understanding of it!).

There is also the intended establishment of a fully-fledged Mediterranean campus in Malta by qualified Chinese universities (forgetting for the moment that considering our population, we could easily be outnumbered in a matter of time). And with no intention to brainwash the Maltese and the Chinese, a project is contemplated to translate and publish selections of each other’s literary classics. Quite a mouthful!

It is not fair, however, that apparently only Malta will benefit from the agreement. We could, perhaps, and if we are allowed, set up special classrooms in Chinese schools and universities to further the worldwide principles of democracy and human rights. That would indeed be an achievement and make us proud.