On June 17, 2024, His Excellency Wu Peng, the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of South Africa, arrived in South Africa to assume office and delivered written remarks at the airport. He was welcomed by Ms. Yoliswa Mvebe, the representative of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa and Acting Chief Director of Directorate: East Asia and Oceania, among others.
Wu expressed his great pleasure to come to the beautiful Rainbow Nation to serve as the 7th Chinese Ambassador to South Africa. He also expressed his heartfelt thanks and sincere respect to friends from all walks of life who have long cared about and supported the development of China-South Africa relations.
Wu said that even though China and South Africa are geographically far apart, the two countries enjoy a long history of friendly exchanges and a special bond of “camaraderie plus brotherhood.” In more recent years, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries has witnessed steady and speedy development, setting a fine example for China-Africa and South-South cooperation. In August 2023, President Xi Jinping’s state visit to South Africa and participation in the 15th BRICS Summit propelled the relations into a “golden era,” starting a new chapter of building a high-level China-South Africa community with a shared future.
Wu pointed out that the world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. China and South Africa are both major developing countries and members of the Global South. Under the new circumstances, China and South Africa’s relationship has transcended bilateral boundaries and now has strategic significance and global impact. China attaches great importance to the development of China-South Africa relations, and is ready to work with South Africa to carry forward friendship, deepen cooperation and seek common development, so as to harvest more “golden fruits” in the “golden era” and bring greater benefits to the two countries and peoples.
Wu noted that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and South Africa has just successfully held its general election. A new summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in Beijing this year. Wu said it was his great honour to assume office in this moment, and with the honour came heavy responsibilities. He looks forward to working with the South African government and all sectors of society, to act on the important common understandings reached between the two heads of state, strengthen contact and communication, enhance understanding and cooperation, and take the China-South Africa comprehensive strategic partnership to a new height. The Chinese Embassy in South Africa will continue to provide services and protection for overseas Chinese, staff members of Chinese-invested organizations and Chinese students in South Africa.
Ms. Yoliswa Mvebe welcomed Ambassador-designate Wu Peng on behalf of the South African side. She said South Africa is ready to provide facilitation for his assuming office, and will work with China to deepen the traditional friendship between the two countries, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and drive greater development of the bilateral relations.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of South Africa.