Sun Chunlan (R), vice-premier of China’s State Council and Nathi Mthethwa, minister of South Africa’s Ministry of Art and Culture, pose for a photograph at the second meeting of the South Africa-China High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism which was held in Beijing, on Dec 3. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

Yunnan University (YNU) Vice-President Liu Xiaojiang and Professor Zhang Yonghong represented YNU at the second Meeting of South Africa-China High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism, which was held in Beijing, on Dec 3. 

The meeting was chaired by Sun Chunlan, vice-premier of China’s State Council, who is also the chairwoman of the South Africa-China High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism, and Nathi Mthethwa, minister of South Africa’s Ministry of Art and Culture, who represents his country in the mechanism. 

Sun said that China and South Africa have an excellent bilateral relationship. And both representatives of the two countries highlighted the importance of an exchange mechanism in developing friendly ties between the two countries. 

Over the past year since the launch of the exchange mechanism, both sides have made remarkable achievements through cooperation in various fields, Sun said. 

She went on to stress that both countries should increase the number of student exchanges, build a research center for mineral products and the forestry industry, and strive to increase links in the cultural creative industries, heritage conservation, and public health, as well as in other areas. 

Nathi Mthethwa said that both sides should make full use the exchange mechanism, deepen pragmatic cooperation in various fields and lay a solid foundation for building a comprehensive strategic partnership. 

In recent years, China has started six people-to-people exchange mechanisms ––– building mechanisms with the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Indonesia and the European Union. The South African mechanism was launched in 2017. 

The South Africa-China High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism is the first of its kind established in Africa. South Africa is the most powerful country in Africa in terms of economic strength. Developing people-to-people exchanges with South Africa is of great significance to promote the building of a community of shared destiny for both China and Africa.

The Research Center for China-South Africa People-to-People Exchanges at YNU is one of the think thanks established by the Ministry of Education to research people-to-people exchanges with foreign countries. Since it was founded in March 2017, it has undertaken dozens of research projects commissioned by the Ministry of Education. 

This year, YNU has undertaken six projects on China-South Africa people-to-people exchanges, and has held two activities to promote friendly exchanges with Africa.