18 Sep 2016

 The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, has commended China for achievements made over the past 67 years.
Speaking at the occasion to mark 67th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples’ Republic of China in Gaborone on September 15, Dr Venson-Moitoi said according to world rankings, China was the second largest economy in the world.
She said China, as a permanent member of the United Security Council and the Group of 20 industrialised nations, amongst others, the country continued to play an important and influential role in advancing the global agenda aimed at achieving sustainable development, peace and prosperity for all humanity.
The minister said, through its poverty reduction programme, China had within a period of four decades, uplifted over 500 million people out of poverty.
She added that the decision to declare October 17 as the Poverty Eradication Day was a clear demonstration of china’s determination to improve the standard of living of its people.
She pointed out that Botswana cherished the strengthened collaboration between China and the people of Africa through the China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) initiative.
“This important initiative presents a good opportunity for deepening cooperation between China and the African continent,” she said.
Dr Venson-Moitoi said Botswana looks forward to deriving maximum benefit from this important framework and they have submitted several projects in the water sector, for consideration by the Chinese government as this was part of ongoing efforts by her government to address the critical water shortage in the country.
She said the year 2016 marked 41 years since the establishment of relations between the two countries in 1975 and noted that over the years, the relations between the two countries have continued to grow steadily as demonstrated by the exchange of high level visits.
Minister Venson-Moitoi said Botswana continued to receive support from China in the fields of education, health, human resource development, trade and investment, infrastructural development and cultural exchange.
For his part, the Chinese Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Zheng Zhuqiang said since 1949, when the People’s Republic of China was founded, particularly since the country started the policy of reform and opening-up in 1978, China has shown the world remarkable changes with eye-catching achievements if every field.
Mr Zheng said China not only succeeded in providing the basic for its people but also became the world’s second largest economy. “China not only ended the scourge of war and poverty, but also found a path suitable to its development. China’s economy grows in size and its cooperation with the world deepens,” he said.
He noted that the prospect of China’s economy has drawn keen international attention and said many people wonder whether China could continue its reform and opening-up whether China could avoid falling into the middle income trap.
The ambassador said the embassy as well as the Chinese community in Botswana continues to render support to local society in the spheres of education, poverty eradication, agriculture, youth and women empowerment and under the initiatives like China-Africa People to People Friendship Action. ENDS