China’s leaders exchanged some significant messages with foreign counterparts around the turn of the new year.
On December 31st 2022, President Xi Jinping wrote to his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, who he met most recently in November at the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, to congratulate him on his re-election as President of the ruling African National Congress at the ANC’s National Conference. Xi noted that the Communist Party of China and the ANC enjoy a profound traditional friendship and fruitful exchanges and cooperation, which has played an important role in promoting the in-depth development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
On January 1st, Xi exchanged messages with Rodney Williams, Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda, on the 40th anniversary of their establishing diplomatic relations. Describing Antigua and Barbuda as China’s important cooperative partner in the Caribbean, Xi noted that over four decades, bilateral relations have been developing smoothly with ever stronger political mutual trust, fruitful practical cooperation and ever deeper friendship between the two peoples.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also exchanged greetings with Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who noted that Antigua and Barbuda has always pursued the one-China policy and that China has provided generous assistance for Antigua and Barbuda.
Having been colonised in the 17th century, Antigua and Barbuda finally won independence from British colonial rule on November 1st 1981 and established diplomatic relations with China on January 1st 1983. Today the country plays an active part in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) as well as in ALBA, the progressive regional alliance led by Cuba and Venezuela.
Following a general election, on December 26th 2022, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, the leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) returned as Prime Minister of Nepal, a position he last held in 2017, at the head of a coalition government that also includes Nepal’s other major communist party, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist). On December 29th, Premier Li Keqiang sent a message to his Nepalese counterpart, noting that China and Nepal were traditional friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, have always respected each other, treated each other as equals and sincerely helped each other.
The following reports were originally carried by the Xinhua News Agency.
Xi congratulates Cyril Ramaphosa on re-election as president of African National Congress
Xinhua, 31 December 2022
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday congratulated Cyril Ramaphosa on his re-election as president of the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa’s ruling party.
In his message, Xi said he is glad to hear of Ramaphosa’s re-election, and would like to extend sincere congratulations to him. Xi also wishes Ramaphosa new and greater success.
Xi pointed out that the Communist Party of China and the ANC enjoy a profound traditional friendship and fruitful exchanges and cooperation, which has played an important role in promoting the in-depth development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Xi said he is willing to work with Ramaphosa to lead the relationship between the two parties and the two countries to a higher level, and join hands to build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era and a human community with a shared future.
Xi exchanges congratulations with governor-general of Antigua and Barbuda over 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties
Xinhua, 1 January 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday exchanged congratulations with Antigua and Barbuda’s Governor-General Rodney Williams on the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Noting that Antigua and Barbuda is China’s important cooperative partner in the Caribbean, Xi said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 40 years ago, bilateral relations have been developing smoothly with ever stronger political mutual trust, fruitful practical cooperation and ever deeper friendship between the two peoples.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides have come to each other’s aid and navigated through the difficulties together, writing a new chapter in the friendly relations between the two countries, Xi said.
Expressing that he attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations, Xi said he stands ready to work with Williams to take the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties as a new starting point to deepen cooperation in various fields, promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and open up an even better future for China-Antigua and Barbuda relations.
For his part, Williams said Antigua and Barbuda is very happy to join the Chinese side in celebrating the anniversary, which is an important milestone in bilateral relations.
In recent years, under the leadership of Xi, the relationship between the two countries has grown closer, Williams said, adding that Antigua and Barbuda will continue to work to maintain and strengthen the existing sound relations between the two countries.
Also on Sunday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang exchanged congratulations with Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne.
Li said China is willing to make joint efforts with Antigua and Barbuda to take the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries as an opportunity to promote the continuous and in-depth development of China-Antigua and Barbuda friendly cooperative relations to deliver more benefits to the people of the two countries.
Browne said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties, bilateral relations have been maturing, noting that Antigua and Barbuda has always pursued the one-China policy.
China has provided generous assistance for Antigua and Barbuda, and bilateral relations have scored many landmark achievements, Browne said, expressing his wish that China can achieve new successes in the post-COVID-19 era.
Chinese premier congratulates new Nepali PM on inauguration
Xinhua, 30 December 2022
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday congratulated Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also known as Prachanda, on his inauguration as Nepal’s prime minister.
In his congratulatory message, Li said that China and Nepal, as traditional friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, have always respected each other, treated each other as equals and sincerely helped each other.
In recent years, China-Nepal relations have maintained a healthy and stable development, and practical cooperation in various fields has achieved fruitful results, benefitting both countries and the region at large, said the Chinese premier.
Li said that he is ready to work with Prime Minister Prachanda to push forward the two countries’ strategic partnership of cooperation featuring ever-lasting friendship for development and prosperity and bring more benefits to the two peoples.
