AMB WU’S ADDRESS MARKING CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS

“Good afternoon! I wish to extend a warm welcome to all of you to the Embassy’s Happy Chinese New Year Reception 2026. The Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival of the Chinese nation. It symbolizes renewal, reunion, and prosperity. It also embodies the aspirations and pursuit for family harmony and prosperity as well as a common future for the world. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, let me extend my most sincere seasonal greetings and best wishes of the New Year to everyone! 

2025 marks the final year of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan. China’s GDP surpassed 140 trillion yuan, with an economic growth rate of 5%. Green electricity, green energy, and green economy flourished, and China’s innovation index ranked among the top ten globally. 

“Made in China” moved further towards the higher-end and more intelligent manufacturing. China’s annual production and sales of new energy vehicles surpassed 16 million units, ranking No.1 globally for the 11th year in a row. Today, we specially invited major Chinese car brands to showcase their new models for everyone to enjoy the charm of Chinese manufacturing and industrial culture. Instead of promoting sales, the Chinese government always encourages Chinese car-makers to manufacture overseas locally. 

In 2025, despite headwinds and turbulence in international relations, Chinese diplomacy has firmly adhered to the right path. Under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, we have upheld the banner of building a community with a shared future for mankind, opposed unilateral protectionism, proposed the Global Governance Initiative, and continued to provide stability and certainty to a world fraught with challenges and turbulence.

My fellow Chinese and friends, in 2025, the All-Round Strategic Cooperative Partnership in the New Era between China and South Africa has steadily moved forward. Practical cooperation in various fields continued to expand. The South Africa-China Trade and Investment Promotion Conference, jointly hosted by the Chinese Embassy and the DTIC had been a great success. Our bilateral trade in goods reached almost 54 billion US dollars for the year, with a year-on-year increase of 2.2%. 

Just last week, China and South Africa signed the Framework Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Prosperity, which will give South Africa zero-tariff treatment on 100% tariff lines for exports to China soon. China’s massive market will provide South Africa with vast development opportunities. 

Another great development is that the fourth meeting of our High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism was successfully held in Beijing, injecting new impetus into cooperation between the two countries in education, culture, science and technology, sports, among other fields. I must say, such progress cannot be achieved without the warm support and active participation of our Chinese fellows in South Africa. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude and sincere respect to everyone!

2026 is the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan and also the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Together with South Africa, we are ready to uphold our friendship and original aspiration, consolidate the foundation of cooperation, promote mutual understanding and affinity between our two peoples, and jointly pursue the dream of modernization to create an even brighter future for China-South Africa relations. 

The Chinese Embassy and three Consulates General in South Africa will continue to uphold the principle of people-centered diplomacy, stay dedicated to providing better services for our compatriots, and working to create a better environment for all of you to live, work, and study in South Africa.

I would like to give special thanks to the South Africa State Theatre for your strong support for this event. And thank you to the artists of the Sichuan Performing Arts Troupe for traveling thousands of miles to South Africa to present a wonderful performance. We are really looking forward to it. 

Finally, please allow me to extend my blessings in Chinese to all compatriots present, to our motherland, and to our people: 

祝大家马年身体健康、龙马精神、马到成功！

祝伟大祖国繁荣昌盛、国泰民安！

Thank you!”