The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Botswana HE Fan Yong and Madame Cui Yin;

Speaker of the National Assembly;

Cabinet Ministers here present;

Members of Parliament;

 Chairman of Ntlo ya Dikgosi Kgosi Malope II;

Dean of the Diplomatic Corps;

Excellencies, Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Heads of International Organisations;

Your Worship the Mayor of Gaborone;

Distinguished Guests; Ladies and Gentlemen;

Dumelang, Good evening, Ni Hao

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to this special occasion as we celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Botswana and the People’s Republic of China.

This Golden Jubilee marks a remarkable milestone in our bilateral journey – a journey built on a foundation of trust, mutual respect and a shared commitment to cooperation. It is a moment that reminds us not only of how far we have come, but also of the promises that lie ahead.

Tonight, as we gather with our friends and partners, we pay tribute to this enduring relationship. We celebrate five decades of friendship that has yielded tangible benefits for our peoples and laid a firm basis for even greater collaboration in the years to come.

Distinguished Guests;

Botswana and China formally established diplomatic relations on 6^th January 1975. Even before that historic moment, our two countries were already demonstrating mutual political support. Notably, in 1971, Botswana voted with conviction at the UN General Assembly in favour of restoring the rightful seat of the Peoples Republic of China at the United Nations.

In the formative years of our relations, our founding President, Sir Seretse Khama paid a State visit to China in 1976. This visit was a clear demonstration of Botswana’s commitment to consolidating relations with China, and a strong affirmation of the One China Principle – a principle that Botswana continues to uphold to this day.

The visit by Sir Seretse Khama, together with subsequent high level exchanges by his successors including, Their Excellencies Sir Ketumile Masire, and Former President Masisi, significantly deepened our political solidarity with China. These engagements played a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of our bilateral relations over the past five decades.

Likewise, the visit to Botswana by then Vice President Xi Jinping in 2010, among other exchanges, further elevated our partnership, strengthening not only political and economic cooperation, but also fostering cultural ties and greater mutual understanding between our peoples.

Your Excellencies;

This Golden Jubilee provides us with an opportunity to pause and reflect on the remarkable journey of Botswana-China relations over the past five decades. More importantly it is a moment to look ahead and chart a path for even deeper and more robust collaboration between our two countries.

In January 2025, the President of Botswana, Advocate Duma Gideon Boko and his counterpart His Excellency President Xi Jinping, exchanged congratulatory letters in honour of this milestone. In their messages, our two leaders expressed great optimism for the future of Botswana-China relations and pledged to pursue win-win cooperation across all aspects of our partnership.

This leadership vision provides us with clear direction. It is now our responsibility as implementers, to translate this vision into practical and concrete steps that advance shared prosperity, foster collaboration, and strengthen mutual support.

Over the past fifty years, China has made significant contributions to Botswana’s development, particularly in human resource development, health, development financing, trade, infrastructure, and people-to -people exchanges.  In education alone, several primary schools bult with Chinese grant funding continue to benefit our young learners in Kazungula, Maun, Serowe and Mmopane.

Similarly, every two years, China deploys medical experts from Fujian Province to augment the delivery of critical medical services at Princess Marina and Nyangagbwe hospitals - a gesture that has meaningful impact on the lives of our citizens.

Your Excellency;

While it is not possible to mention all the areas of cooperation, I wish to highlight one that truly embodies the spirit of our partnership, the people-to people connections that continue to give vitality and depth to our bilateral relations. These include exchange visits at various levels, cultural exchanges, and the teaching of Chinese language through the Confucius Institute at the University of Botswana and BUAN.

Moreover, the presence of many Batswana students in China, as well as the vibrant Chinese community spread across Botswana, has enriched our societies, fostering diversity, mutual understanding, and enduring friendship.

Botswana deeply appreciates the generous development assistance we have received from China over the years. This support has spanned many sectors and made a meaningful difference in the lives of our people. On behalf of the Government and the people of Botswana, I extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Government and the people of China.

Your Excellency;

As we celebrate this Golden Jubilee, our eyes are firmly set on the next fifty years, particularly now that our relations have been elevated to the level of a Strategic Partnership. The timing could not be more fitting, as Botswana embarks on an ambitious economic transformation programme that will depend on strong partnerships and investments, including from China, to drive our industrialization agenda.

China’s remarkable success, underpinned by technological innovation, ambitious development targets, poverty eradication efforts, and steadfast determination, stands as a source of inspiration.

Botswana is eager to draw from these best practices as we work to implement the Ten Partnership Actions announced by President Xi Jinping at the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit. These actions provide a solid framework for deepening cooperation in areas that are central to our development priorities.

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The FOCAC framework continues to serve as a vital cornerstone of Botswana’s relations with China, providing a platform not only for our national development, but also for the facilitation of regional integration and the advancement of the African continent as a whole.

Botswana also looks forward to deepening collaboration with China in multilateral fora. We are confident that given its global influence and standing, China can contribute significantly to building a just and equitable global order that safeguards the interests of all developing countries.

As I conclude, I wish to reaffirm my government’s commitment to fostering stronger, results oriented bilateral relations with China - relations that respond to the challenges of today and meet the aspirations of generations to come. 

Your Excellencies;

Allow me to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for your presence here today. I also wish to offer a special word of appreciation to His Excellency Ambassador Fan Yong for spearheading this initiative and organizing this joint celebration of 50 years of diplomatic relations between our two nations.

I thank you ladies and gentlemen for your kind attention.

May I now kindly request you to join me in drinking a toast to:

The continued friendship and cooperation between the Governments and peoples of Botswana and China;

 KE A LEBOGA, XIE XIE, PULA!!!