Dear compatriots,

I am very pleased to be here in Mokhotlong. First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to me. Through you, I send my sincere greetings to all the local Chinese in the Mokhotlong district.

For decades, the Chinese community in Lesotho has been working diligently, bravely, and tirelessly. Through the hard work of several generations, you have built businesses, supported your families, and contributed significantly to the social and economic development of Lesotho. You have always maintained a strong love for the motherland, and during difficult times such as the COVID-19 pandemic, you have generously donated money and goods to support our country. At the same time, you have integrated well into local communities, helped develop the local economy, supported disadvantaged students, and strengthened the friendship between our two countries. You have also upheld traditional Chinese values and worked to spread Chinese culture across the 30,000 square kilometers of Lesotho, becoming important envoys of China-Lesotho cultural exchange. I am deeply proud and grateful for your achievements, contributions, and sacrifices.

Recently, our great motherland celebrated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Over the past 75 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, we have overcome immense challenges and achieved rapid economic growth and long-term social stability, creating two major miracles. The Chinese people have achieved a great leap from standing up, to getting rich, and to becoming strong. With the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China, we have embarked on a new journey towards modernization and national rejuvenation. The success of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee has charted a new blueprint for deepening reform to advance Chinese modernization.

In the past year, China has effectively navigated various risks and challenges, and has injected new momentum into world peace and development. We successfully returned lunar soil samples from the far side of the moon with the Chang'e-6 mission, achieved our best-ever overseas performance at the Paris Olympics, held a successful Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, and saw our GDP grow by 5% in the first half of the year, maintaining our position as the world’s second-largest economy and the largest trading nation. We firmly believe that as long as we stay united and work hard, we will continue to steadily achieve the goals we have set for ourselves.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Lesotho. Over the past three decades, our bilateral relations have made tremendous progress, with deepening political mutual trust, fruitful cooperation across various fields, and ever-closer people-to-people exchanges. China and Lesotho have weathered changing times and international uncertainties, and our relationship is now a model of equality and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries with different systems. Prime Minister Matekane attended the FOCAC in Beijing, where he met with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and other leaders. His visit was a great success and marked a new milestone in China-Lesotho relations, which have now been elevated to a strategic partnership.

In recent years, China has implemented numerous projects in Lesotho, including in infrastructure, food security, clean energy, healthcare, and education, which have greatly benefited both our countries and peoples. These projects serve as strong proof of the thriving strategic partnership between China and Lesotho.

The continued advancement of our relations is inseparable from the tireless support and involvement of the Chinese community in Lesotho. I hope that you will continue to act as envoys of Chinese culture, share the Chinese story, and respect the local customs and culture. At the same time, I encourage you to build harmonious relationships with the local people and contribute to the social and economic development of Lesotho, as well as to the deepening of China-Lesotho friendship.

The Chinese Embassy in Lesotho will continue to uphold the Diplomacy for the people, offering unwavering support for your work and life here, protecting your legitimate rights and interests, and actively helping to resolve any difficulties you may encounter. We are committed to providing better services to our compatriots.

I wish all of you good health, prosperity in your careers, and happiness in your families! May our great motherland continue to thrive and prosper, and may the friendship between China and Lesotho last forever!

Thank you all!