Chinese Embassy in South Africa and the National Press Club South Africa jointly held a high-level dialogue entitled "Celebrating the Centenary of the CPC and Jointly Ushering in Shared Future" in celebration of the centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
Chinese Ambassador Chen Xiaodong attended and delivered a keynote speech. Paul Mashatile, one of the "Big Six" of South Africa's ruling party African National Congress (ANC) and Treasurer-General; Motlanthe, the former President of South Africa; Mapaila, First Deputy General Secretary of the South African Communist Party, which is a member of the South African Ruling Coalition; Masondo, President of the ANC Political School and Deputy Minister of Finance; Anil Sooklal, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa; Survé, Executive Chairman of Independent Media, South Africa's largest print media group; Emmanuel Matambo, Director of the University of Johannesburg's Centre for Africa-China Studies; and other guests were invited to attend and deliver speeches. The meeting was presided over by Booyeh, president of National Press Club South Africa.
Ambassador Chen said that we are going to celebrate the centenary of the CPC. On this occasion, the ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa and the General Secretary of the South African Communist Party Blade Nzimande sent congratulatory letters to Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the CPC, on behalf of their parties, respectively. Friends from all walks of life in South Africa also sent their congratulations to the CPC. These abundantly demonstrate the special sentiments of "comrades and brothers" between China and South Africa.
Ambassador Chen pointed out that the centennial course of the CPC is a process of striving for national independence, the liberation of the people, a strong and prosperous country, and well-being for the people. Looking over the past one hundred years, we can proudly say that were it not for the leadership of the CPC, China would not have the achievements as we have today, nor enjoy the international status China has today. The leadership of the CPC is a historic choice made by the people. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, the Party and the country have made new historic achievements in the undertakings, and the Chinese nation has the glory of "going from strength to strength" under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. The Chinese people today have more confidence than ever in the path, theory, system, and culture under socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Ambassador Chen stressed that as the CPC made struggles over the past century, we found rescue in desperate circumstances, resolutely rebounded after setbacks, put the mistakes and errors right, and persevered in the trials and tribulations. As the CPC grows in maturity and strength, it has amassed a wealth of valuable experience in the practice of responding to crises and difficulties.
Chinese Ambassador Chen said that under the leadership of the CPC, China has performed two miracles in terms of rapid economic development and long-term social stability. The 1.4 billion Chinese people have embarked on a journey to fully build a modern socialist China in an all-round way and march towards the second centennial goal. Under the new situation, the CPC stands ready to work with the ANC, the South African Communist Party as well as the political parties and peoples in Africa and the world to learn from each other, share experience in Party building and state governance, promote party-to-party exchanges, strengthen development strategies, give mutual support, and enhance mutual trust for common progress; foster cooperation in the fight against the epidemic and post-COVID-19 economic recovery, and work together to beat the epidemic for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries; jointly build an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity for a better future.
Paul Mashatile said that as a progressive party, the CPC works for the well-being of the Chinese people, and is also an inspiration for the world. The Chinese people led by the CPC supported the struggle for national liberation in South Africa, and the peoples of the two countries have long ago developed a strong friendship. General Secretary Xi Jinping said that "the people are the country, and the country is the people", which dovetails with the ANC's concept of people's war. The ANC attaches great importance to the party-to-party relations with the CPC and thinks highly of China's achievements in poverty alleviation and the fight against corruption. ANC hopes to learn from the CPC's valuable experience and practices in achieving rapid economic development and long-term social stability as South Africa is carrying out social and economic transformation. I believe that as the CPC moves towards its 200th anniversary, it will, as always, lead China to staunchly safeguard a fair and just international order. While realizing the Chinese dream, it will promote the building of a community of a shared future for mankind and make a greater contribution to world peace and development.
Former South African President Motlanthe said that the chief secret to the CPC's extraordinary achievements in its development and state governance is the harmonized ideas and organization. The CPC has foresight, and seeks truth from facts. It formulates development plans in various endeavors and policies for national development. The CPC has advanced ideas for selecting and appointing officials to ensure the long-term stability of the goals. In the current transition from capitalism to socialism, China, as a beacon of hope and a shining example, offers another option for modernization and plays an active role in international affairs. General Secretary Xi said that "The Party and the people play a key role in achieving the goals and tasks set at the 18th National Congress of the CPC, and in making great struggles with new historical characteristics." South Africa should learn from the CPC's valuable experience in its own building..
Mapaila pointed out that the South African Communist Party and the CPC were founded in the same international context, and both share a love of peace and opposition to wars. The extraordinary achievements made by the Chinese people led by the CPC in economic development and poverty alleviation are admirable. The world development still faces the problem of uneven development between the North and the South. The United States' practice of upholding unilateralism and suppressing and containing China's development will not get anywhere. Africa-China relations and South Africa-China relations should become a model for international relations. Guided by the people-centered idea, we should join hands to build a peaceful, safe, and balanced world. As General Secretary Xi Jinping put it, we need the spirit of comradeship and brotherhood. Under this spirit, South Africa stands ready to deepen relations with the CPC, promote party-to-party ties, and foster people-to-people exchanges and pragmatic cooperation for a better future. Long live the Communist Party of China!
Masondo, President of the ANC Political School and Deputy Minister of Finance; Anil Sooklal, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa; Survé, Executive Chairman of Independent Media, South Africa's largest print media group; Emmanuel Matambo, Director of the University of Johannesburg's Centre for Africa-China Studies; and other guests praised glorious achievements made by the CPC over the past 100 years, gave an in-depth analysis of the secrets to the success of the CPC, and described the inspiration of the CPC's ruling philosophy for South Africa and Africa. They considered that the CPC brings development achievements to the general public, and the poverty eradication results have demonstrated the strong leadership of the CPC. When Xi Jinping was elected as General Secretary of the CPC in 2012 and as the President in 2013, he made a solemn commitment that China will have shaken off absolute poverty by 2020. China realized this ambitious goal last year, becoming the only country in the world to eradicate absolute poverty. The CPC always puts the people first. There would be no People's Republic of China without the CPC. The CPC is inseparable from the Chinese people. The CPC's care for the people is also shown in the efforts to build a community of a shared future for mankind. The development of Africa-China relations and South Africa-China relations have benefited tremendously from it. Media think tanks should play a greater role in introducing the real China and the CPC to the people.
Other attendees expressed that it was of great significance to hold this dialogue meeting on the occasion of the centenary of the CPC. It is of important inspiration reference for the post-COVID-19 development in South Africa and other African countries as well as bilateral relations.
It was attended online by nearly 200 people including representatives from South Africa's ruling party, government, the business community, youth, and women, think tanks, and media, representatives from CCTV in South Africa, Chinese-funded institutions, overseas students, as well as senior diplomats from the Chinese embassy in South Africa. Chinese Ambassador Chen's accounts on Twitter, the embassy's YouTube, Facebook, and other new media gave live broadcasting of the event, which attracted nearly 30,000 views.
