Chinese ambassador marks accreditation with reception |22 December 2014

A reception was held at the Chinese embassy last Friday to celebrate the accreditation of Yin Lixian as the new Chinese ambassador to Seychelles. Ambassador Yin presented her credentials to President James Michel at State House last month.

Among guests at the reception were Vice-President Danny Faure, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Jean-Paul Adam, the Minister for Home Affairs and Transport, Joel Morgan and other government and Chinese dignitaries.

During the reception Minister Morgan announced that Seychelles is working closely with the Chinese civil aviation authority to introduce direct flights to Beijing for the Chinese New Year in 2015 to enable Chinese tourists to come celebrate in Seychelles.

The connection will also allow members of the Chinese community and Seychellois of Chinese origin in Seychelles to visit Beijing during that period.

He said this development is due to the evolving development in the air and tourism sectors where a growth in the number of tourists from China is translating itself into becoming major market for tourism in the coming years, together with Indians.

In her speech, Ambassador Yin told the gathering that Seychelles is just like her colleagues told her when she was in Beijing: an island paradise surrounded by breathtaking beauty everywhere.

She described the beauty of Seychelles as not only a gift from nature, but also a collective creation by the people and government.

She said as ambassador, it gives her great pleasure to witness the sound bilateral relations between China and Seychelles and that everywhere she goes she can feel the strong will to deepen the cooperation in all fields.

“Since Seychelles and China established diplomatic relations, this friendship between a small developing country and a big one has developed smoothly and become a role model. In recent years our exchanges both at high and grassroot levels have become more frequent,” said the ambassador, adding that President Michel himself has visited China several times.

“Our mutual understanding and mutual trust continue to deepen, which enable us to coordinate closely in international affairs, and to cooperate fruitfully in various fields including business and commerce, education, health, culture and military. Not to mention that China has become Seychelles’ fastest growing overseas tourist market,” she said, reminding all that such achievements have not come about by themselves but as a result of contributions from all sides.

Looking into the future of friendly cooperation, Ambassador Yin said both countries are full of confidence as both are working hard for economic development and social progress.

Minister Adam said it was a great pleasure to officially welcome and celebrate her excellency ambassador Yin Lixian in Seychelles and reiterated the sincere and profound congratulations on behalf of the government and people of Seychelles.

He said since establishment of diplomatic relations with China in 1976, the nation has gone from strength to strength and have increasingly diversified its economy.

He mentioned the various significant events that have happened during 2014 which have made it a very eventful year for Seychelles-China partnership.

He listed events like the Seychelles-China Day and the hand over of the maritime surveillance vessel to combat piracy. The ship was received by the government of Seychelles as part of the national day celebrations in June this year. The minister described the donation as a great contribution not only for Seychelles but that of the Indian Ocean.

In the middle of this year there was also the launch of the Seychelles-China Trade and Business Promotion Association.

The year also saw the return of more Seychellois graduates who have been studying in china.

The country also witnessed the arrival of a new batch of Chinese volunteers working primarily in the health sector as well as the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Seychelles Botanical Gardens.

In the last quarter of the year Seychelles officially opened its consulate general in Shanghai, the first ever consulate general Seychelles has anywhere in the world and which the minister described as “recognising the strength of this economic partnership which continues to grow between our two countries”.

Minister Adam then proposed a toast in honour of ambassador Yin.