SACP Delegation to the People's Republic of China
01 September 2003
The Communist Party of China (CPC) will host a senior delegation of the South African Communist Party (SACP) - led by the General Secretary, Blade Nzimande - during its 7-day visit to China as part of the ongoing bilateral relationship and agreements between the two parties. The delegation will leave for China on 02 September 2003 and will be hosted by the International Department of the Communist Party of China.
"This visit will add impetus to the deepening relationship between our two parties and our two countries. It will also contribute towards strengthening people-to-people relationships between our two countries", said Blade Nzimande, SACP General Secretary.
In terms of the SACPs bilateral agreement with the Communist Party of China, the two parties exchange and alternate senior delegations on an annual basis. This 2003 visit to the PRC will be the first SACP visit to the PRC since the election of Comrade Hu Jintao as CPC General Secretary and President of the People's Republic of China, and the election of a new CPC leadership by the 16th Congress, held in October 2002. The visit will therefore be used to meet and inter-act with the new leadership of the CPC (members of the CPC Political Bureau and Central Committee), share perspectives on the state of affairs in South Africa and the PRC, and the deepening of inter-party relations.
The SACP delegation to the People's Republic of China:
- Blade Nzimande - SACP General Secretary and Head of Delegation
- Phillip Dexter - SACP National Treasurer
- Ncumisa Kondlo - Member of the SACP Political Bureau
- Mandla Makhuphula - SACP Eastern Cape Provincial Secretary
"Our relationship with the CPC is strategic given the growing importance of China in the world economy and growing Sino-African and Sino-South African relations. This visit will help to share perspectives on key issues. Specifically, the SACP is interested in economic growth and development in China and how the CPC leadership assesses the state of world affairs post the illegal US war in Iraq.", said Blade Nzimande, SACP General Secretary. The Chinese economy is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
Other issues that the SACP-CPC will cover in the bilateral discussion include:
- Co-operation in media work and institutions by communist parties internationally
- The role of, and co-operation between communist and socialist parties internationally
- US imperialism Sino-African relations and related challenges (World Trade Organisation, NEPAD and the African Union)
The delegation will visit a few cities in China, including Beijing and Shanghai. It will also meet a number of organisations and institutions, including the All China Federation of Women, provincial and local Party structures, facilitate establishment of relations of co-operation between the Chris Hani Institute and similar Chinese institutes, as well as visit some of the economic development zones.
On Special Visa Requirements for Chinese visitors to South Africa
The SACP also wishes to use this statement to call upon the Department of Home Affairs to act urgently to scrap the discriminatory requirements on Chinese visitors to South Africa. We were shocked to learn that Chinese visitors and tourists are required to pay a special deposit of R15 000 as a condition to get a visa. Whatever the origin of this requirement, it is discriminatory and runs counter to government's strategy to attract tourists to South Africa, and could undermine the growing relationship between our country and the People's Republic of China.
CONTACT
Mazibuko K. Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Media, Information and Publicity
South African Communist Party
Tel - 011 339 3621, Fax - 011 339 4244/6880,Cell - 072 275 4723
Email - mazibuko@sacp.org.za
