First of all, please allow me to pay my respects to:

His Majesty King Letsie III,

Her Majesty Queen 'Masenate Mohato Seeiso,

The Right Honorable Prime Minister,

Honorable President of the Senate,

Honorable Speaker to the National Assembly,

His Lordship the Chief Justice,

Honorable Deputy Prime Minister,

Honorable Cabinet Ministers,

And in particular, Honorable Minister of Gender, Youth and Social Development,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to join you for this Chinese culture evening in Lesotho. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy, I warmly welcome our visiting artists and all our Basotho friends. I also wish to thank our partners in Lesotho and everyone who has worked to make this evening possible.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the independence of the Kingdom of Lesotho. Over the past six decades, the Basotho people have made tremendous efforts to safeguard their independence, build their nation and made progress in political, economic, social and cultural development, while preserving the traditions and cultural heritage. On October 4, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to His Majesty King Letsie III. In his letter, President Xi, on behalf of the government and people of the People’s Republic of China, extends his warmest congratulations and best wishes to the government and people of the Kingdom of Lesotho.

He emphasizes that, since gaining independence, Lesotho has actively explored a path to modernization suited to its national conditions and remained committed to improving national governance, strengthening economic resilience, and enhancing the well-being of its people. China and Lesotho are strategic partners and have always maintained sincere friendship and treated each other as equals. Our cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results. President Xi attaches great importance to the development of China-Lesotho relations, and stands ready to work closely with His Majesty to further deepen political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, and advance the China-Lesotho strategic partnership to new heights, so as to better serve the interests and well-being of our two peoples. He wishes the Kingdom of Lesotho continued prosperity and its people happiness!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This year, China is celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Our two countries have different histories and national circumstances, but these anniversaries share an important meaning: they remind us of the determination of our peoples to shape our own future, pursue development and build a better life.

Sixty years is therefore not only a milestone. It is also a new starting point. Looking ahead, all countries face the common task of pursuing development and modernization while preserving peace, security and their own cultural identity. To this end, President Xi Jinping has proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative.

The Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) is particularly relevant to an evening such as this, which brings people together through culture and the arts. It calls for respect for the diversity of world civilizations, upholding the common values of humanity, attaching importance to the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and strengthening international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. It advocates equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, and calls for cultural exchanges to transcend estrangement, mutual learning to transcend clashes, and coexistence to transcend feelings of superiority.

At its heart, the GCI recognizes the value of all civilizations and the importance of learning from one another. As President Xi Jinping has observed, “A single flower does not make spring, while one hundred flowers in full blossom bring spring to the garden.” All civilizations created by human society are splendid. These insights remind us of the importance of exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations in advancing human progress.

Cultural confidence and openness to other civilizations are mutually reinforcing: a strong appreciation of one’s own heritage can provide a sound foundation for engaging with other cultures on the basis of equality and mutual respect.

Ladies and gentlemen,

2026 has been designated the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, providing fresh impetus to exchanges between China and African countries and further bring China-Africa friendship closer to the hearts of our peoples at a new historical starting point.

In this sense, cultural activities such as tonight’s performance are more than opportunities to enjoy the arts. They are also occasions for people to meet, to understand one another and to build lasting bonds of friendship.

For China and Lesotho, cultural exchanges have long been an important part of our friendship and have helped bring our two peoples closer together. I am so happy we are continuing this practice on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Lesotho’s independence and the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Tonight, our Chinese artists are here to share a treasured part of China’s cultural heritage — Wu Opera from Zhejiang Province, a traditional form of Chinese opera with a history of more than four centuries. Combining singing, music, dance, expressive movements and acrobatic skills, Wu Opera offers a vibrant expression of China’s traditional performing arts.

I hope tonight’s performance will give our Basotho friends a glimpse of the richness of Chinese culture, just as our exchanges with Basotho culture have enriched our own understanding and appreciation.

Thank you. Khotso, Pula, Nala!