It’s my great honor and pleasure to attend today’s event to commemorate the founding of the Chinese Community and Security Cooperation Centre exactly one year ago. Firstly of all, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the one year birthday of the Cooperation Centre. I would also like to use this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation to His Honorable Deputy Prime Minister Monyane Moleleki for being with us today. As we all recall vividly that His Honorable was also here with us last year when we launched the Cooperation Centre. My appreciation also goes to His Hon. Au, Hon. Mokhele, and Hon. Setsabi for attending today’s event. Looking back at the one-year journey the Cooperation Centre has traveled, we are proud to see the Centre has achieved more than we had expected.
The Centre has become a platform where the Chinese people in Lesotho can contact for help and assistance when faced with incidents and emergencies. And The Centre has always responded with immediate assistance. On numerous occasions, the Cooperation Centre is the first to reach the spots of incidents or crimes to render valuable help to our compatriots. The psychological and material assistance rendered by the Cooperation Centre can’t be over-exaggerated.
The Centre has become a platform where China and Lesotho friendship is consolidated. The Centre would not be functional without the support and guidance of the Lesotho government and the LMPS. By helping and supporting the Cooperation to establish and smoothly operate, the Chinese community can see with their own eyes the brotherly feelings of Lesotho and Basotho people towards China and the Chinese. The presence of police officers is a clear indication that the Lesotho government attaches great importance to protecting the safety and security of the Chinese community. It’s also a clear indication that the government of Lesotho works hard to create a conducive environment for foreign investors.
The Centre has become a platform where China-Lesotho people-to-people friendship is enhanced. We don’t deny that some criminal offences do happen and target the Chinese people, but these crimes are only committed by a very small number of despicable criminals. They don’t represent the Basotho at all, on the contrary they bring tarnishes and smears to the friendly image of Basotho and Lesotho. Despite the crimes against them, my Chinese compatriots know that they are in a country with a very hospitable people. They know their success can not be achieved without the help of the Basotho, and their success can not be sustained without the betterment of the lives of Basotho. For this reason, the Cooperation Centre has been actively engaged in helping the disadvantaged Basotho. In the past year, we have seen the Centre and other Chinese associations providing valuable help in millions of maloti to Basotho across this country, from food aid to bursaries, from boreholes to fertilizers and seeds. Their action tells once and again, the Chinese community in Lesotho really regards Lesotho as home away from home, and treats the Basotho as their own brothers and sisters.
Distinguished guests, 2017 is a special year in the history of Lesotho. The new government led by His Right Honorable Prime Minister Motsoahae Thomas Thabane attaches great importance to the economic development, employment creation, and poverty reduction and eradiation. China, as a sincere friend and an important development partner of Lesotho, will continue to do whatever it can to help Lesotho’s social and economic development. In this process, the Chinese community in Lesotho will also continue to contribute tremendously to Lesotho’s development, by increasing investment, creating more jobs, and transferring more skills. Meanwhile, I sincerely wish the Lesotho government and the Basotho continue to provide the Chinese Community with help, support, safety and security. As a recent report published by the international consultancy agency Mckinsey & Company after it has carried out a survey across Africa shows, one of the three major concerns of the Chinese investors in Africa is safety and stable social environment. It’s my strong wish and belief that Lesotho will rank among the top ones in Africa in providing a harmonious and safe cooperation environment with the Chinese investors.
Last but not the least, I must use this opportunity to express my gratitude again to Your Hon. Moleleki, the DPM, the Hon. Ministers and deputy ministers in the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Police and Public Safety, Home Affairs, and all the relevant officers in the Ministries, as well as frienda from all walks of life in Lesotho, for your support and contribution towards the Chinese Community and Security Cooperation Centre, and your support and contribution in developing China-Lesotho relations and friendship.
Thank you all.
Khotso, pula, nala!