驻南非大使林松添在庆祝中南建交20周年“欢乐春节点灯仪式”上的讲话

Remarks by H.E. Ambassador Lin Songtian at the Lighting Ceremony at the Nelson Mandela Square

尊敬的夏萨部长阁下，

尊敬的各位来宾，

女士们、先生们，

晚上好！

Honorable Madame Tokozile Xasa, Minister of Tourism

Distinguished Guests,

Friends from the Media,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening!

今年是南非和非洲人民精神领袖曼德拉总统诞辰100周年。很高兴今晚和大家欢聚相聚在曼德拉广场，一起重温曼德拉总统这位伟人的精神，一道庆祝中南建交20周年，一同分享中国农历新年到来的喜悦。

This year marks the centenary of the great leader of the South African and the African people—President Nelson Mandela. It is a great pleasure and honor that tonight we are gathered here at the Nelson Mandela Square, to review the spirit of this great man, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of China-South Africa diplomatic relations, and to share the happiness of the Chinese Lunar New Year.

今晚，我们以“点亮曼德拉精神，点亮中南友谊与合作”为主题，共同点亮20盏大红灯笼。我们所点亮的，是曼德拉总统的伟大精神，是中南人民的深厚情谊，是中南互利合作的光明前景。

The theme of our gathering tonight is “Lighting up the Spirit of Nelson Mandela, and Lighting up the Friendship and Cooperation between China and South Africa”. In a short moment, we are going to light up 20 Chinese red lanterns, which symbolizes lighting up the great spirit of President Nelson Mandela, lighting up the profound friendship between the Chinese and the South African people, and lighting up the bright prospect for China-South Africa mutually beneficial cooperation.　

曼德拉总统毕生致力于南非人民的解放和独立事业。他不言放弃的坚毅、博大宽广的情怀和充满智慧的精神，不仅带领南非人民缔造了新南非这个美丽的彩虹国度，让南非人民过上了自由、平等、尊严的美好生活；而且为世界人民打破种族隔离制度的枷锁，致力于实现了民主、自由、平等、和谐、繁荣、法治的新世界指明了光明前景。他的精神永放光芒。

President Nelson Mandela has devoted his entire life to the cause of liberation and independence of the South African people. It was his resilience and commitment, sympathy and compassion, and wisdom and spirit, that has led the South African people build a new South Africa, a beautiful rainbow nation. It was his spirit that has led the South African people to a beautiful life of freedom, equality, and dignity. More importantly, it was his spirit that has pointed to us a bright future where the peoples of the world break the shackles of racial segregation, and build a new world of democracy, freedom, equality, harmony, prosperity, and rule of law. The spirit of President Nelson Mandela will forever live and shine in the world.

今年是中南建交20周年。中南建交就是曼德拉总统坚持一个中国政策做出的重大政治决断，即世界上只有一个中国，中华人民共和国是代表全中国的唯一合法政府，台湾和西藏都是中国不可分割的一部分。　　

This year marks the 20th anniversary of China-South Africa diplomatic ties. Twenty years ago, it was President Nelson Mandela who had made the major political decision to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China on the basis of the one China policy, i.e. there is only but one China in the world, the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government of China, and Taiwan and Tibet are inalienable parts of China.

曼德拉总统代表南非政府和人民对一个中国做出的政治承诺，奠定了中南关系全面发展的坚实政治基础，充分展现了他的政治和战略远见卓识。

The political commitment made by President Mandela on behalf of the South African government and people not only demonstrated his political and strategic vision, but also laid down a very strong and solid foundation for China-South Africa relations growing from strength to strength.

20年来，在双方共同努力下，中南关系快速发展，通过中非合作论坛、金砖合作机制、“一带一路”建设倡议三大合作平台，实现了从伙伴关系到战略伙伴关系、再到全面战略伙伴关系的跳跃式发展，实现了双边关系的历史性跨越，给两国人民带来了实实在在的利益。中国已成为南非主要投资和旅游来源国，已连续9年成为南非最大的贸易伙伴。

Thanks to our joint efforts, the past two decades have recorded historical leapfrog development in China-South Africa relations, from partnership to strategic partnership, then to comprehensive strategic partnership. Major cooperation platforms such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), BRICS, and the Belt and Road initiative have brought tangible and visible benefits to both the South African and the Chinese people. China has already become South Africa’s major investor and source of tourists. For 9 consecutive years, China has remained South Africa’s largest trading partner.

截至去年底，中国对南投资累计已超过250亿美元，在南投资各类企业已经超过300家，累计创汇超过20亿美元，为当地创造了数十万个就业岗位。2017年，中南双边贸易额达391.7亿美元，较建交之初增长了20多倍。去年9月，南非首批牛肉成功输华，成为对华出口牛肉的首个非洲国家。

By the end of last year, China has in accumulative terms invested over 25 billion US dollars in South Africa, with over 300 investment projects creating thousands of jobs, and generating over 2 billion dollars of foreign exchange for South Africa. Last year, China-South Africa two-way trade reached 39.17 billion dollars, an increase of over 20 times from the early days of our diplomatic ties. In September last year, South Africa also became the first African country to export beef to the Chinese market.　

南非已成为中国游客最多的非洲国家，但还有很大潜力。近年来，中国每年出境旅游1.2-1.3 亿人次，旅游花费超过1000亿美元，但到南中国游客仅为10万人次。未来五年，中国出境游客将超过6.5亿人次，将为南非旅游业市场带来巨大商机。　　

Today, South Africa hosts the largest number of Chinese tourists in Africa, but the number is still very limited, and the potential is huge. In recent years, around 120-130 million person times of Chinese tourists make overseas trips and spend over 100 billion dollars abroad each year. Last year, only about 100,000 Chinese tourists came to South Africa. In the next five years, over 650 million Chinese tourists will travel abroad, which is a truly huge business opportunity for South Africa.

我们希望也相信在夏萨部长阁下大力支持下，在双方共同努力下，我们将吸引越来越多的中国游客来南非旅游，为南非带来更多的就业、税收和外汇。

We hope and believe that with the strong support from Honorable Minister Xasa, and through joint efforts, we will attract more and more Chinese tourists to come here to enjoy your beautiful landscape and diverse wildlife, but also create more jobs, and pay foreign exchange to South Africa.

曼德拉总统曾说，携起手来，我们可以成就更伟大的事业。过去，中国政府和人民同南非人民并肩战斗，为支持南非人民赢得反对种族隔离制度斗争，建立新南非做出了应有的贡献。今天，在非国大带领南非人民致力于反对贫困、实现共同繁荣进程中，中国政府和人民同南非政府和人民坚定站在一起，共同致力于让两国人民都过上幸福的美好生活。

President Nelson Mandela once said, together we can do more. In the past, the Chinese government and people have fought side by side with the South African people to fight against the apartheid regime for a new South Africa. Today, the Chinese government and people have committed ourselves to joining the South African government and people to fight against poverty for common prosperity in our efforts to pursue a better life of happiness for our two peoples.　

女士们、先生们，朋友们，

Ladies and gentlemen, Dear friends,

再过两天就是中国最重要的传统节日春节了。春节在位于北半球中国意味着春天的开始，象征着万物复苏，生机蓬勃。对于位于南半球的南非，则将步入收获的秋季。

The Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, is only two days away. This is the most important traditional festival for the Chinese people. As the name suggests, in China, in the northern hemisphere, the Spring Festival marks the advent of the spring season where things awaken and are off to a new start. In South Africa, in the southern hemisphere, the timing coincides the coming of the autumn season, the season of harvest.

对于中南关系而言，今年也是收获新成就的重要一年。我们两国今年将迎来两场重要峰会。7月，南非将作为主席国在约翰内斯堡主办第十次金砖国家领导人会晤。9月，中非合作论坛第三次峰会将在北京举行，为中南中非合作规划新的蓝图。

For China-South Africa relations, 2018 is also a year of harvesting new achievements. We are going to have two important summits. In July, South Africa will host the 10th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg. In September, the 3rd FOCAC Summit will be held in Beijing. During the summit, new plans for China-Africa and China-South Africa cooperation will be drawn up.

站在新的历史起点上，中南关系迎来了新的发展机遇。我们愿同南方继续齐心协力，着力把今年打造成为中南关系的行动之年，让中南互利合作惠及更多民生，让中南友好更加深入人心。

We are now standing at a new historical starting point, and we are embracing tremendous new opportunities for China-South Africa relations. Moving forward, we will continue to join efforts with South Africa, and make 2018 a year of action, so as to make sure that China-South Africa mutually beneficial cooperation will produce more visible and tangible benefits to our two peoples, and that China-South Africa friendship will enjoy even greater and more profound support from our two peoples.

最后，再次感谢夏萨部长和各位朋友的光临，预祝大家农历新年快乐，万事如意！谢谢！

To conclude, I wish to once again thank Honorable Minister Xasa and all of our friends for coming here to join us. I wish all of you a Happy Chinese Lunar New Year and all the best!Thank you!