Driving education, culture and fostering youth friendship

The youth serves as the vanguard in building a high-level China-South Africa community

- PAN QINGJIANG

ON THE occasion of South Africa's Youth Month, I wish to extend my sincere festive greetings to all our young friends. The youth are the future of nations and the China-South Africa friendship as well. I have been deeply impressed by the confidence, optimism, and ingenuity of the young South Africans. Our nations, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, enjoy traditional friendship characterised by a strong "comradeship plus brotherhood" bond.

I firmly believe that the hope for a lasting China-South Africa friendship rests with the young generation.

Both China and South Africa attach great importance to youth development and exchanges. In September 2024, at the opening ceremony of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, the President of the People's Republic of China, His Excellency Xi Jinping announced the incorporation of the strengthening of youth exchanges and cooperation into the ten partnership actions for modernisation to deepen China-Africa cooperation.

During his excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa's visit to China, the heads of state of both our countries reaffirmed their commitment, with the elevation of the bilateral relationship to an all-round strategic cooperative partnership in the new era. Those are manifestations of the leadership's firm pledges to sustain an enduring China-South Africa friendship.

The Chinese Embassy and Consulates in South Africa, under the leadership of Ambassador Wu Peng, have consistently prioritised youth empowerment on their agendas. The Chinese Consulate General in Johannesburg has established the annual "Driving Education Culture" initiative to help foster a favourable and enabling environment where the entire society cares for the youth, and values education.