Ambassador Lin Nan welcomed during Chinese Spring festival reception |06 February 2024
Minister Devika Vidot (Photo: Patrick Joubert)
The Chinese Spring Festival of 2024 was celebrated in a welcoming reception honouring new Chinese Ambassador to Seychelles, Ambassador Lin Nan, at the Eden Bleu Hotel yesterday evening.
Spring Festival Chinese New Year officially begins on February 10, 2024, and ends on February 20,starting the year of the dragon and ending the year of the rabbit.
To celebrate the event, the reception was attended by dignitaries, including President Wavel Ramkalawan and Vice President Ahmed Afif, ministers, members of the National Assembly including leader of government business Bernard Georges and leader of the opposition Sebastian Pillay, as well as members of the diplomatic corps.
In her address, Ambassador Nan noted that the spring festival has been listed as a United Nations official holiday. Furthermore, she cited that in Chinese culture, dragon symbolises auspiciousness, strength and success.
“Taking this opportunity, I would like to extend my best wishes to Seychellois friends, in particular the Chinese community, for a happy new year,” said Ambassador Nan.
She also commented on the December 7 disaster, whereby the Seychellois people worked hard to rebuild their homes and businesses, demonstrating solidarity and strong resilience. “I will always remember your optimism and perseverance in times of challenges.”
Most notably, Ambassador Nan stated that her mission in the country is to promote bilateral friendship and practical cooperation, building China-Seychelles community with a shared future characterised by an even stronger bond.
She noted that with the hospitality accorded to her by the Seychelles government and people, with the sound working relations, she has full confidence that the China-Seychelles relations will be elevated to a new height.
Since diplomatic ties with Seychelles started 48 years ago, the friendship has become a model for sincerity, equality, solidarity and cooperation between countries of different sizes, added Ambassador Nan. “China medical teams have been providing service for nearly 40 years in Seychelles. The Confucius Institute of UniSey has been proactively promoting the Chinese language teaching and cultural exchanges.”
China is willing to work together with Seychelles to deepen connection in tourism, fisheries, agriculture, blue economy, climate change, health, education, culture and people-to-people exchange, to achieve pragmatic outcomes and create a better future for China-Seychelles relations, she added.
The new ambassador also briefly discussed the history of China, stating that the country is on a path of rejuvenation on all fronts, to modernisation. Most importantly, its gross domestic product (GDP) grew 5.2 percent and reached US $18 trillion, contributing to over 140 countries and regions.
Its manufacturing sector has topped the world in size for 13 years in a row, and the output accounted for over 30 percent of the world total. “China’s innovation capabilities continued to improve in 2023, with the number of high-tech enterprises increasing to about 400,000. China is committed to pursue high quality development, and its doors will open to the world wider and wider.”
Moreover, she discussed that China has always been a force for world peace, a contributor to global development, a defender of the international order, and promoter of progress of human civilisation.
The Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilisation Initiative, all of which were proposed by the President of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping, have taken root and borne fruits, providing more Chinese insight, better Chinese input, and greater Chinese strength to the noble cause of human peace and development.
She also mentioned that China’s relations with the African continent is brimming with vibrancy and hope.
Speaking on behalf of Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde who was not present at the event, the Minister for Investment, Entrepreneurship and Industry, Devika Vidot offered her warmest greetings towards Ambassador Nan.
She stated that as the country celebrates the Chinese New Year, it acknowledges China’s influential role in shaping a more prosperous and harmonious world for all.
“Under President Xi Jinping’s visionary leadership, China has emerged as a global leader, championing multilateralism, sustainable development and inclusive growth,” stated Minister Vidot.
“President Xi’s strategic vision and commitment to cooperation has elevated China’s standing in the international community, fostering partnerships and enhancing its role as a responsible global actor.”
In brief, Seychelles and China’s friendship is not only characterised by the diplomatic and political engagements but also by bloodline and ancestral lineage dating back to the 19th century. “Quite a number of Chinese established roots in the country and have since made pivotal contributions to the socio-economic and cultural fabric of our country.”
She thanked the Chinese community in the country who through their versatile entrepreneurial skills, contributed towards the growth of the economy.
To conclude, Minister Vidot stated that Seychelles fully supports the One-China policy and the peaceful reunification of Taiwan with the motherland.
She ended with a toast to the personal wellbeing of President Xi Jinping, to the friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
The Seychelles National Choir performed three songs at the event, ‘Nasyon Seselwa’, Youth Dance, and Welcome to Seychelles. There was also a lion dance performance.
Sunny Esparon
