On December 14, 2022, Chinese Consul General in Durban Fei Mingxing published a signed article titled "Looking back on 25 years, and forward to a better future" on The Mercury and Cape Times of South Africa, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and South Africa. The full text is as follows:
January 1, 2023 marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa.
On this festive occasion, on behalf of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Durban, I would like to express my highest respect and heartfelt thanks to those friends from all walks of life in KwaZulu-Natal province (KZN) who have contributed to the establishment of diplomatic relations and the development of friendly cooperation between China and South Africa!
The people of China and South Africa share a profound friendship. In the last century, China firmly supported the just struggle of the South African people against apartheid, established and maintained friendly relations with South African national liberation organizations such as the African National Congress.
After the establishment of the new South Africa, under the personal promotion of Mr. Nelson Mandela, the Republic of South Africa established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China on January 1, 1998, and the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and South Africa entered the fast track since then.
Over the past 25 years, with the joint efforts of both sides, our relations have achieved a major leap from the partnership, the strategic partnership to the comprehensive strategic partnership. Chinese President Xi Jinping paid three state visits to South Africa in 2013, 2015 and 2018 respectively.
Over the past 25 years, China-South Africa economic and trade relations have developed rapidly. Our bilateral trade volume has increased from the initial US$1.4 billion in 1998 to US$54.35 billion in 2021.
China has been South Africa's largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years, and South Africa has become China's largest trading partner in Africa for 12 consecutive years.
By the end of 2021, China's cumulative investment in South Africa has exceeded $25 bn, creating more than 400,000 local jobs. In places such as Durban, Newcastle and Mandeni, I met many South African brothers and sisters working in Chinese companies.
Over the past 25 years, the special friendly relations of "comrades plus brothers" between China and South Africa has continued to deepen, and cooperation in various fields has continued to expand, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. For example, the Confucius Institute at Durban University of Technology, which is well-known to many people in KZN, will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2023.
The first Luban Workshop in South Africa, which aims to help young people improve their vocational skills, has trained more than 1000 people. South Africa Commodity China (Dongguan) Exhibition and Trade Center was recently completed and started its trial operation. Students from Durban Music School and Guangzhou Tieyi Middle School joined hands online to show their support to both countries in fighting against COVID-19.
After South Africa was hit by severe floods in April this year, President Xi Jinping sent a message to President Cyril Ramaphosa to express his condolences. The Chinese side as well as Chinese companies and community members in South Africa, especially those in KZN, provided many batches of disaster relief funds and materials to the affected brothers and sisters.
In October this year, when President Xi Jinping met with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Bali, Indonesia, he noted that China has all along viewed its relations with South Africa from a strategic height, and stands ready to consolidate political mutual trust and promote even greater development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and South Africa.
President Ramaphosa said that South Africa finds in China an important strategic partner. It will continue to firmly support the one-China principle without doubt. South Africa hopes to learn from China’s experience in green development and energy transition, and is ready to actively participate in the Belt and Road cooperation.
South Africa will open its door and welcome Chinese companies for investment and cooperation. South Africa hopes to enhance coordination and cooperation with China under the BRICS and other multilateral frameworks.
Twenty-five years of achievements have been wonderful, and looking forward to the future is full of expectations. Though this is an era fraught with challenges, it is also an era brimming with hope.
After 25 years of working together side by side, China-South Africa relations have become more mature and have brighter prospects. Let us work together to make more and greater contributions to the China-South Africa community with a shared future and the community with a shared future for mankind!