During her official visit to South Africa, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong attended and addressed the Closing Ceremony of the 2nd Africa-China Youth Festival on April 26, 2017. Hon. Edna Molewa, Minister of Department of Environmental Affairs of South Africa, Mr. Buti Manamela, Deputy Minister in the Presidency of South Africa, Mme. Lin Xiaolin, President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and Mme. Lin Yi, Vice President of the CPAFFC were present at the function. Mr. Waseem Carrim, CFO of the National Youth Development Agancy (NYDA) of South Africa chaired the ceremony.
Vice Premier Liu extended her warm welcome to the success of the Festival. She said that the Africa-China Youth Festival is a great event to deepen Chinese and African youth exchanges in the new era of China-Africa win-win cooperation and common development. The Festival was successfully held in China last year and it comes to the African continent this year. The 2nd Festival, themed on “Unity, Responsibility for Common Prosperity”, was a great success with President Zuma’s personal care. It will definitely contribute to deepening the mutual understanding and learning between the Chinese and African youth, and have a positive impact on the development of China-Africa cooperation.
Minister Molewa said it is pleased to see delegates from China and the African continent, over the past three days, successfully engaged in fruitful discussions on key issues that directly affect young people. She also expressed her hope that the two sides can increase interaction and cooperation on youth affairs and other sectors, and provide innovative solutions to realize the development ambitions, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Mme. Li Xiaolin briefed on the Festival on behalf of the sponsors. Representatives of the Chinese young entrepreneurs, the South African young teachers and the African young diplomats reported the outcomes of the dialogues.
The 2nd Africa-China Youth Festival, co-hosted by the CPAFFC and the NYDA, aims to implement the achievements of the FOCAC Johannesburg Summit and is timed to coincide with the official launch of China-South Africa High-level People-to-people Exchange Mechanism. 300 youth from China and 44 African countries visited the Apartheid Museum, Wits University and Huawei Innovation Center, participated in the China-Africa Youth Dialogue, attended the South Africa-China High-level Dialogue and watched the Chinese and South African traditional art performances. Through these activities, the Chinese and African youth have enhanced mutual understanding, deepened their understanding and recognition of China-Africa friendship and strengthened their sense of mission and responsibility of devotion to China-Africa cooperation.
