Honorable Angie Motshekga, Minister of Basic Education,

Honorable Principal Erica Furumele,

My Dear friends, Educators and Learners,

Good afternoon! 

It is my great pleasure to come to the Bonwelong Primary School as we are about to celebrate the June 1 International Children’s Day. 

I always feel great energy and vigor whenever I join a youthful group of learners like today.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South China and China.

Under the joint leadership of successive leaders of our two countries, especially President Xi Jinping and President Ramaphosa, our cooperation in various areas reached fruitful results, which brought tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Education is one of the key areas of cooperation between China and South Africa. Our two sides cooperated extensively with great results in inter-school exchanges, faculty training and language teaching. 

We have worked together to establish 6 Confucius institutes and 3 Confucius classrooms and South Africa now has  more Confucius Institutes and Classrooms and any other country on the continent.

Professor Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, has always cared about African children and youth. 

In recent years, under the guidance of Professor Peng Liyuan, the Chinese side donated many batches of school and COVID response supplies to South African children and young people.

Our cooperation in this regard fully demonstrated our joint commitment to the internationalist cause of loving and caring for children.

As part of International Children's Day events, Professor Peng Liyuan and the Organization of African First Ladies for Development jointly launched a China-Africa joint action that is Warm Children’s Hearts.

The goal of the joint action is to show love and care for our children to see they grow up healthy and lead a happy life. 

In order to implement Professor Peng's initiative, the Chinese Embassy in South Africa is donating a batch of supplies to the school today.

That is to convey Professor Peng Liyuan's love and care for South African children, to show our readiness to advance children’s rights and interests and to promote the education cause in South Africa.

The Chinese side is ready to work with South African friends from all communities, including Minister Motshekga, to continue to promote our exchanges and cooperation in basic education, enhance friendship, promote people-to-people contact, and join hands to build a high-level China-South Africa community with a shared future.

My Dear Learners, 

You are the future of the country and the ones who will carry forward China-South Africa friendship. 

I hope that in the future you will have the opportunity to travel to and study in China, to get to know and understand China, so you can serve as a bridge of friendship between our two peoples.

Last but not least, I wish all our learners good health, happiness and great success in your studies. I thank you all.