China Marks 105 Years of the Communist Party with Celebration of Strong South Africa Ties
Pretoria – The Chinese Embassy in South Africa has reaffirmed the enduring friendship between China and South Africa during a reception marking the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), with leaders from both countries pledging to strengthen political, economic and people-to-people cooperation.
Held on 3 July, the reception brought together nearly 300 guests from government, politics, business and the diplomatic community. Among those in attendance were former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor, African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee member Lindiwe Zulu, North West Provincial Legislature Speaker Desbo Mohono, South African Communist Party (SACP) Secretary for International Affairs Ben Martins, alongside representatives of Chinese-funded companies and members of the Chinese community living in South Africa.
Addressing guests, Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Wu Peng reflected on the CPC’s 105-year journey and its role in transforming China into one of the world’s largest economies. He highlighted Chinese President and CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping’s recent anniversary address, saying the party remains committed to improving the lives of its people while contributing to global peace, development and shared prosperity.
Ambassador Wu said China values its comprehensive strategic partnership with South Africa and is committed to working closely with the ANC and other political parties to deepen bilateral relations. He noted that cooperation between the two countries continues to expand in areas including trade, investment, infrastructure development, education, technology, skills development and cultural exchange.
He also stressed that China remains committed to supporting Africa’s development agenda through initiatives that promote industrialisation, infrastructure development, poverty reduction and economic growth. According to the ambassador, stronger cooperation between China and African countries will contribute to building a community with a shared future based on mutual respect, equality and common development.
Delivering remarks on behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC, Lindiwe Zulu congratulated the Communist Party of China on reaching its 105th anniversary and praised the country’s remarkable economic and social transformation over the past century.
Zulu reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to the One-China Policy, describing it as a cornerstone of the diplomatic relationship between the two nations. She said South Africa continues to support China’s peaceful development and opposes efforts to undermine or contain its progress on the global stage.
She further called for closer collaboration between South Africa and China across a range of sectors, including trade, investment, innovation, education, healthcare and tourism. Strengthening exchanges between young people, businesses and communities, she said, would further deepen the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
The reception reflected the close political relationship that has developed between the ANC and the Communist Party of China over several decades. China remains one of South Africa’s largest trading partners, while cooperation has continued to grow through platforms such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the BRICS partnership.
Guests described the evening as a celebration of friendship and cooperation, with many acknowledging China’s contribution to Africa’s development through infrastructure investment, economic partnerships, technology transfer and capacity-building initiatives.
The event concluded in a warm and optimistic atmosphere, with attendees expressing confidence that the long-standing partnership between China and South Africa will continue to grow, creating new opportunities for development, investment and stronger ties between the people of both nations.
