It is my distinct honour and privilege to wish members of the Chinese Community in South Africa and around the world, a happy and successful New Year.
The celebrations of the Chinese Year of the Sheep in the Chinese community in South Africa and across the world commence on 19 February this year.
The year 2015 is the Chinese Year of the Sheep.
The Chinese year of the sheep is symbol of peace, harmonious co-existence and tranquility, and also symbolises a period of prosperity.
In so very many ways this symbol is important to all South Africans, as we contemplate the year ahead, and look forward to the promise of harmony, healing and compromise - all attributes indeed of truly great nations as embodied within the Year of the Sheep.
This Chinese New Year heralds yet another important attribute - a time to nurture, heal and grow. The attribute of nurturing embodied in the Year of the Sheep further calls on all of us to take time to nurture, to tend and care for our young democracy and of course for each other.
Heralding a year of prosperity as envisioned by the year of the sheep, we are mindful that social harmony grows best in a good and balanced economy. The relations between South Africa and China grow annually in leaps and bounds and we are extraordinarily proud of the warmth of our relations with China, contributing in a significant and powerful way to our two economies to the benefit of both our peoples.
In 2014 we celebrated the year of South Africa in China. This year we will celebrate the year of China in South Africa. It is indeed appropriate that the Chinese Year of the Sheep and the year of China in South Africa coincide.
Coinciding also with the Year of the Sheep, the African National Congress, the governing Party of South Africa, has declared 2015 as the Year of the Freedom Charter and Unity in Action to Advance Economic Freedom. The Freedom Charter, which was adopted in 1955 in Kliptown at the Congress of the People meeting, will inform the government's programme of action for the year, including the Year of China in South Africa celebrations.
The relations between South Africa and China are indeed a cause to celebrate. We are confident that the year of prosperity contemplated in the Year of the Sheep will outstrip our most optimistic expectations and that the enhanced economy stemming from the relations between our two countries, will see a year of peace and harmony which stems from a people whose lives and circumstances continue to improve.
I would like to extend our warmest greetings and wishes to our Chinese compatriots and the people of China in South Africa and beyond our shores.
