Photo: Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu and Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to South Africa, His Excellency Chen Xiaodong
Photo: Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, receiving the donation of R1 million from the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to South Africa, His Excellency Chen Xiaodong
27 April 2022
The Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, on 20 April 2022, received a donation of R1 million from the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to South Africa, His Excellency Chen Xiaodong in Pretoria this afternoon at a handover ceremony held at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Hatfield, South Africa.
The donation was aimed at bolstering the reach of Government’s ongoing humanitarian relief efforts in the flood-stricken areas in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal.
The donation follows the declaration of the National State of Disaster by President Cyril Ramaphosa after various municipal areas of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape were ravaged by extreme weather conditions, including a fire disaster in Langa, Western Cape that left scores of people displaced.
It is said that the donation will support emergency humanitarian and recovery efforts in the affected areas.
“Delivering her speech on behalf of the people and the Government of the Republic of South Africa, Minister Lindiwe Zulu extended to the Government of the People’s Republic of China, deepest gratitude for the generous donation, which will enable the Government of the Republic of South Africa, to meet the immediate needs of hundreds of families affected by recent floods, including people who are displaced from their homes to get back on their feet”, said Minister Zulu.
In his remarks His Excellency Ambassador Chen Xiaodong said “Saddened to learn that the recent flood disaster has caused life and property loss in KwaZulu-Natal. We feel deeply for the plight of the people in KwaZulu-Natal and would like to offer assistance to the best of our capacity as always.”
The People’s Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa established diplomatic relations on 1 January 1998.
The past years have witnessed a rapid and all-round development of the bilateral relations.
Since 2007 China-South African relations have become increasingly close with increasing trade, policy and political ties. In the 2010 Beijing Declaration, South Africa was upgraded to the diplomatic status of Strategic Comprehensive Partner by the Chinese government.
Since 2009, China has become South Africa ‘s biggest trade partner and export destination, and South Africa has become China ‘s largest trading partner in Africa . In 2011, bilateral trade hit a record high of more than 45 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for a quarter of China-Africa trade.
China has been Africa’s largest trading partner since 2009 when it surpassed the United States, and continues to be the largest trading partner as of 2020, albeit with a Coronavirus-induced drop in volume.
South Africa is host to the largest population of Chinese on the African continent, with estimates ranging from 250,000 – 350,000.
#chinesesouthafrica #chinesesouthafrican #kwazulunatal #southafrica #china #AmbChenXiaodong #ChineseEmbassySA #ChinaAmbSA #ChinaInSA
#KZNFloods #KZNFloodsRelief