China and South Africa Celebrate 20th Anniversary of Their Diplomatic Ties in Beijing
By staff reporter ZHANG HUI
The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in China held a reception on the evening of January 18 in Diaoyutai State Guesthouse of Beijing to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and South Africa.
Vice President of the CPAFFC Lin Yi presided over the reception. Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China Qiangba Puncog, President of the Chinese-African People's Friendship Association Abdul'ahat Abdurixit, and South African Ambassador to China Dolana Msimang addressed the reception, which was attended by around 300 dignitaries, diplomats, government officials, and business leaders. Qiangba Puncog and Dolana Msimang jointly unveiled the commemorative envelop honoring the 20th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations.
Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China Qiangba Puncog and South African Ambassador to China Dolana Msimang jointly unveil the commemorative envelop honoring the 20th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations.
In his speech, Abdurixit highlighted the long-standing and well-established friendship between China and South Africa. After the founding of the PRC in 1949, the Chinese government and people showed sympathy towards and extended firm support to South African people in their fight for racial equality and national liberation. The friendship had been nurtured by the older-generation state leaders of the two sides like Mao Zedong and Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela, and has gained booming development in recent years.
Abdurixit pointed out, "Over the past two decades, the joint efforts by the two sides have upgraded the bilateral relationship from partnership, to strategic partnership, and then to comprehensive strategic partnership. As our political mutual trust constantly improves, bilateral pragmatic cooperation has expanded exponentially, and people-to-people exchanges have become even more abundant and diverse. The two sides also act in close coordination in regional and international affairs to jointly safeguard our and other developing countries' fundamental interests."
In 2013 President Jacob Zuma and President Xi Jinping committed to increasing cultural and people-to-people exchanges by designating 2014 as the Year of South Africa in China and 2015 as the Year of China in South Africa. Ambassador Msimang said, "Consequently, through a series of cultural events, China and South Africa were exposed to one another's cultural diversity with memorable performances by South Africans visiting China and vice versa. Through these exchanges, we have created fertile ground for strengthening our socio-economic ties and promoting cooperation in many fields."
Last April, Vice Premier Liu Yandong visited South Africa and started the South Africa-China High Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism (PPEM). Ambassador Msimang applauded the PPEM, "It helps lay a solid foundation for the two countries to further their exchanges in culture, education, health, sports and tourism."
Ambassador Msimang said, "Our relations have blossomed at all levels from trade and investment to education, science and research, arts and culture, media and journalism, and our political ties have become closer. Our solid ties not only provide a platform for South Africa to continue diplomatic engagement with one of our most important trade partners, but are also the key to broader engagement between our two countries, strengthening relations on every front." She looked forward to more fruitful results in bilateral cooperation in the future.
South African Ambassador to China Dolana Msimang delivers a speech at the reception.
China has been the largest trade partner of South Africa for eight straight years. Meanwhile, South Africa is also China's largest trade partner in Africa and the most important investment and tourism destination for the country in the continent. Data from the Embassy of South Africa in China show that the number of Chinese visitors to South Africa boomed to 117,114 in 2016 by a remarkable 38 percent (nearly 10,000 a month) over 2015. Spending of Chinese visitors in South Africa is predicated to reach US $100 million this year, making China a major contributor to the local tourism industry which supports one in every ten jobs in South Africa.
To encourage Chinese visitors, visa facilitation centers have opened in nine Chinese cities, with two more planned for this year, while direct flights between Beijing and Johannesburg have bring unprecedented travel convenience.
South Africa's former Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Marius Fransman in an interview with China Today at the reception said he was pleased to see the great development momentum of bilateral relations. He indicated that an infrastructure project financed by China has greatly improved the connectivity of many villages in South Africa. He remarked that China's investment in South Africa has helped solve some economic difficulties. Fransman said, "The most important is the enhancement of bilateral people-to-people exchanges, because that will make it possible for people of the two countries to better understand each other and share ideas."
2018 will see even closer cooperation of the two countries via multiple bilateral and international communication mechanisms and platforms. The 2018 summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation will be held in China, and as the rotating presidency, South Africa will host the BRICS Summit. In addition, Beijing will host the 2nd China-South Africa PPEM meeting later this year. All these provide excellent opportunities for the two countries to further their relations and coordinate with each other on international affairs.
