Home > Information of the Ambassador > Ambassador’s Remarks
Ambassador Sun Xianghua's Remarks at Water Tanks Hand-Over Ceremony in Mohotlong
2018/05/26

(May 14, 2018)

 

Please allow me to start by paying my respects to H.E. King Letsie III and the Right Honorable Prime Minister Matsoahae Thomas Thabane, with all protocols observed

Your Hon. Mapesela, Minister of Trade and Industry

Your Hon.Motobeli, Deputy Minister of Education and Training

District Administrator of Mokhotlong

Principle Chief of Mokhotlong

Principles of the relevant schools in Mokhotlong

Representatives of the China-Lesotho People-to-People Friendship Fund

Distinguished guests

Friends from the media

Ladies and gentlemen

 

It is my great pleasure to come back to Mokhotlong again to participate in this event. I am told by the China-Lesotho People-to-People Friendship Action Fund that with the handover of these 12 water tanks to 9 schools in different areas of Mokhotlong, approximately 3000 students will benefit from this assistance. I believe with this help, the students in these schools will not go thirsty while in campus and can better concentrate on their studies. Therefore, I would like to use this opportunity to express my high salute and sincere appreciation to the Action Fund for their gallant endeavor.

 

Mokhotlong is one of the most faraway districts from Maseru. Due to the constraints of altitude and topography of this mountainous region of Lesotho, Mokhotlong faces some daunting challenges in its social and economic development. For this reason, I am glad that the China-Lesotho Friendship Action Fund has always taken Mokhotlong into consideration whenever it organizes assistance campaigns in Lesotho. I remember that in the past two years, the Action Fund has provided food relief to more than 200 poor families, and supported 50 students in 5 schools with bursaries. I am confident that in the coming years, the Friendship Action Fund will continue to render their support to the communities in Mokhotlong in a wider area of social and economic development.

 

Distinguished guests, we are happy to see that the beneficiaries of today's event will be 9 schools and thousands of students in Mokhotlong. Schools and students are where the future talents of Lesotho will come from. As we always say, knowledge is power, education is the wisest investment. Both the Chinese government and the Chinese community in Lesotho will continue to pool whatever resources available to this important area of cooperation and assistance. Currently, the Chinese government provides 300 plus training opportunities to Basotho in China per annum, and this year alone, more than 40 Basotho will go to study in China sponsored by the Chinese Government Scholarships. I strongly believe in the coming years, our two counties' cooperation in education and human resources development will grow in bounds and strides. And I am also confident that more people from Mokhotlong will join in this area of cooperation between China and Lesotho.

 

On the other hand, the Chinese community has been providing financial assistance to hundreds of students across Lesotho. Last year alone, more than 260 students have received school fee assistance from the Chinese community. Where it's feasible, they also have provided boreholes and water catchments for a couple of schools. Today's event shows once again, the Chinese community treat themselves as one of Basotho, and they treat Basotho's difficulties as their own difficulties. I sincerely hope that the Chinese community will continue to join hands with their Basotho brothers and sisters in achieving a better future for this country. In this regard, I also call upon our Basotho friends to continue to provide their understanding and assistance to the Chinese community, for them to contribute more to Lesotho's social and economic development.

 

Dear friends, ladies and gentlemen, though China and Lesotho are separated by vast mountains and seas, our two countries' friendship has stood the test of time and grown ever stronger. As you may be aware, China-Lesotho friendship and cooperation has by now covered a very wide area including infrastructure, health, education and culture, agriculture, trade and investment, safety and security, etc. In the coming years, this partnership will surely bear more fruits to both Basotho and Chinese people.

 

Last but not least, I would like to use this occasion to profoundly thank Hon. Mapesela, Minister of Trade and Industry, and Hon. Motobeli, Deputy Minister of Education and Training for traveling long distance to join with us today.  My thanks also go to the District Administer of Mokhotlong, the Chiefs of Mokhotlong and many other friends for facilitating today's event. It's exactly your participation, contribution and hard work that have made the Chinese community in Lesotho feel the real friendship and brotherliness from Lesotho and Basotho, and It's also exactly your support and efforts that will make the China-Lesotho relations, and the friendship between the Chinese people and Basotho a fine example of the relations between countries regardless of their sizes and distances.

 

Long live China-Lesotho Friendship.

 

Suggest To A Friend:   
Print