MINISTER STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS ADDRESS AT CHINA’S 80TH ANNIVERSARY VICTORY OVER JAPANESE AGGRESSION

“Today we are here to join the peoples of China in commemorate the 80th Anniversary of their Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. This day is important in the calendar in remembering the fight of the people of the Republic of China for their resilience, and their determination in the struggle for self-determination, in the struggle for sovereignty and their dignity.

The world is inspired by the advances of the People’s Republic of China in crafting a path that has rebuilt its nation and the economy to be a pillar of the world’s economy. In commemorating this anniversary with our Chinese brothers and sisters, South Africa is reminded that the values which guided China through its darkest hours resilience, unity, and an unwavering belief in a brighter future are the very values that inspire our own struggle for progress and transformation in South Africa.

The peoples of both our nations understand resistance, resilience and unity in the fight for self-determination. As South African’s we continue to be inspired by the values that embodied our struggle against apartheid and the struggle for freedom, which was significantly personified through the lives of Oliver Tambo and our global icon uTata uMandela.

As President Xi Jinping has reminded the world, history teaches us that justice will always triumph over oppression, and that cooperation among nations is the surest path to peace and prosperity.

In that spirit we are here to reaffirm our commitment to cooperation and building stronger relations of with the people’s republic of China. It is in this spirit that South Africa treasures its partnership with China. From the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1998, to our collaboration through BRICS, the G20, and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, our relationship has grown into a strategic alliance grounded in shared aspirations.

China is now South Africa’s largest trading partner, with investments that have created jobs, transferred skills, and modernised sectors ranging from finance to telecommunications, energy, and manufacturing. Together, we are advancing new frontiers in renewable energy, green hydrogen, infrastructure, the digital economy, and the beneficiation of critical minerals. We are commemorating this anniversary in the most difficult times of global volatility, fragmenting global supply chains, and shifts towards unilateralism and protectionism.

This is the time where we are called to rebuild multilateralism, and define a future where nations commit to far greater cooperation. Our relation as the country with the People’s Republic of China is significant in our foreign policy and economic strategy, our cooperation has over the years grown into a robust and strategic alliance that is driven by mutual respect, shared aspirations for development of our people’s and the commitment to a new world order.

China is now South Africa’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade having expanded by a third since 2019, with strong Chinese investments in the sectors such as manufacturing, banking, energy and technology exceeding billions. Investments like the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China’s in Standard Bank, Hisense’s manufacturing base in Atlantis, the investment in the automotive sector and the companies like Huawei in our country reflect tangible benefits in our mutual relationship.

As the country we remain committed in working with China to open more opportunities for our MSMEs to access global value chains and sustainable markets, creating more people to people’s relations. South Africa has an abundant in resources and strategically positioned as the gateway to the African continent through the African Continental Free Trade Area, offers Chinese partners a launchpad to a market of 1.3 billion people.

The true value of this relationship lies not only in investments and trade figures, but also in the jobs created, the skills transferred, the technologies shared, and the people-to-people connections that strengthen our societies. Together, South Africa and China are building a partnership that is not only mutually beneficial, but also contributes to Africa’s development, global economic resilience, and a more equitable international order.

Let us continue to nurture this friendship and seize the opportunities before us, for the prosperity of our nations and the wellbeing of future generations. I thank you.”