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孙祥华大使在中莱民间友好行动基金马塞卢区助农活动上讲话
2017/09/24
    2017922日,中国驻莱索托大使孙祥华出席中莱民间友好行动基金向马塞卢区困难农户捐助采购种子和化肥代金券交接仪式。孙祥华大使在活动上致辞,原文如下:

It’s my great honor and pleasure to attend today’s hand-over ceremony of seeds and fertilizers from the China-Lesotho People-to-People Friendship Action Fund to some farmers in needs.

 

First of all, I shall pay my high regards to the Friendship Action Fund for its generous and timely help. We all know that now is the right time for seeding and planting. However, we also know that some farmers are having difficulty in buying seeds and fertilizers for this farming season, and their hope for a good harvest in the autumn will be threatened. Against this background, the Friendship Action Fund comes up with this idea of providing some seeds and fertilizers to some disadvantaged families. With today’s help, more than 1000 families from 28 villages will become beneficiaries of this laudable action.

 

Distinguished guests, we know that agriculture and food security are essential to any country in the world. There is a famous Chinese saying of 2000 years which basically says, "People are the most important to a nation, while foods are the most important to the people". François Quesnaya representative of the school of physiocracy of France once also said, all things conducive to agriculture, are also conducive to the country and its citizens”. Likewise, Basotho also attach great importance to agriculture and the government of Lesotho has been trying to provide various assistances to its farming population. Agriculture is also one important area that China and Lesotho carry out in-depth cooperation. Every year, more than 40 Basotho go to China to attend training programs on agricultural technology and skills. In the past years, the Chinese government has been sending agricultural experts to Lesotho to demonstrate the mushroom cultivation knowhow to Basotho. the newest group will arrive in Lesotho very soon. At this moment, we are also evaluating 3 agricultural cooperation programs in Lesotho. Once approved, more Chinese agricultural teams will come to Lesotho to demonstrate and transfer the relevant skills to the Basotho. Apart from all the above, the Chinese government has been providing food aid to Lesotho for many years. Last year, China provided M38 million of food aid. This year, we will provide a further M40 million of food aid to Lesotho. The first batch of this food aid which amounts to 1000 tons in 44 containers will arrive in Maseru today.

 

Dear friends, China-Lesotho relations have been progressing in strides and bounds in recent years and our cooperation covers a wide area. For example, in the field of infrastructure, the parliament building, the Manthabiseng National Convention Centre, the State Library, the China-Lesotho Friendship Middle School in Thuate, and the new State House are just some telling examples. In the area of capacity building, 300 Basotho are going to China every year for short term training programs. In the area of education, we are providing more than 30 scholarships to Basotho every year. With China’s further development, our win-win cooperation will surely bring more tangible benefits to our two peoples.

 

In this process, the Chinese business community plays an important part in enhancing our two peoples’ friendship and cooperation. The Chinese companies and business people not only bring in trade and investment, but also employment and charity works. You must have noticed that the China-Lesotho Friendship Action Fund has become increasingly active in Lesotho. It is a social organization participated and sponsored by the Chinese enterprises and business people. In recent years, the Friendship Action Fund has provided food aid, bursary assistance, bore-holes and water catchments in all the districts of Lesotho, with a volume amounting to millions of maluti. Their gallant gesture shows again and again that the Chinese business community regard themselves as one of Basotho. And they are making great contribution to consolidating China-Lesotho friendship.

 

It is my strong belief that with our two countries’ friendship and cooperation continuing to go to new high, the Chinese business community will make more and bigger contribution to Lesotho’s social and economic development. On this occasion, I would also call upon my Basotho friends to work hand in hand with their Chinese friends to create a better future of China-Lesotho friendship. As an African saying goes, “if you want to go fast , walk alone; if you want to go far, walk together”. With our joint efforts, China-Lesotho relations will definitely become a fine example of relations between countries regardless of their sizes.

 

Last but not least, I shall use this opportunity to thank your Honorables for joining us today. I would also want to thank all the relevant government departments, the local government, the Principle chief and chiefs in Thaba-Busiu for helping the Friendship Action Fund organizing today’s event. And again, my salute to the China-Lesotho friendship Action Fund for initiating this campaign.

 

Finally, and most importantly, I wish all the recipients of today’s assistance will have a bumper harvest in the coming autumn.

 

  Thank you all. 
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