——By Acting Consul General Tang Chang'an, published on Cape Times, November 16.

   THE 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China ( CPC ) kicked off in Beijing on October 16 , marking a key milestone in the CPC's history .

   The theme of the congress is hold ing high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics , fully implementing the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era , carrying forward the great founding spirit of the party , stay ing confident and building strength , upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground , forging ahead with enterprise and fortitude , and striving in unity to build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts .

   The congress elected a new CPC central committee , with President Xi Jinping as the general secretary .

   Xi said : " We shall keep in mind the party's nature and purpose and our mission and responsibility , and work diligently in the performance of our duty , to prove worthy of the great trust of the party and our people .”

   " We will always ride out the storm with our people and stay heart to heart with them . Taking their priorities as ours and acting on their wishes , we will continue working hard to turn their aspiration for a better life into a living reality . "

   He continued : " On the journey ahead , we shall always champion the common values of humanity .”

   " The world is grappling with unprecedented challenges . We have consistently called on the people of the world to grasp and shape the future and destiny of humanity . When all countries pursue the cause of the com mon good , we can live in harmony , engage in co-operation for mutual benefit and join hands to create a brighter future .

   " Just as China cannot develop in isolation from the world , the world needs China for its development . China will open its door ever wider . We will be steadfast in deepening reform and opening up across the board and in pursuing high - quality development . A prosperous China will create many more opportunities for the world . "

   His vision and thought show a commitment to friendship and soli-darity with the people of the world and open a new and historic chapter in China - South Africa relations .

   The 20th National Congress is a meeting of great importance that takes place at a critical time as the entire party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups embark on a new journey to build China into a modern socialist country and advance toward the second centenary goal .

   We have witnessed numerous remarkable achievements . A total of 832 impoverished counties and close to 100 million poor rural residents have been lifted out of poverty , and , among them , more than 9.6 million poverty-stricken people have been relocated from inhospitable areas .

   In the past decade , China's GDP has grown from 54 trillion yuan to 114 trillion yuan to account for 18.5 % of the world economy , up 7.2 percent age points . China has remained the world's second - largest economy .

   China and South Africa established diplomatic relations in 1998 and have since further developed a strategic partnership with shared insights and perspectives . In 2021 , total trade between South Africa and China reached $ 54.35 billion , with China investing more than $ 25bn in South Africa . To date , there are 200 Chinese companies operating in South Africa .

   We firmly believe that our two parties and two countries will grasp opportunities and meet challenges .

   We have been working to foster the China - Africa community with a shared future in the new era , which is a new practice for building the human community with a shared future .

   We will choose peaceful development and win-win co-operation and move forward hand in hand with all progressive forces , including South Africa , and will continue to promote the building of a China-South Africa , China-Africa community with a shared future !