The Honourable Lejone Mpotjoana, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations,The Honourable Limpho Tau, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office,
His Excellency Lekhela Thabang, Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations,
Distinguished guests and friends from the media,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Here, please allow me to extend my highest respect and sincere greetings to his Majesty King Letsie III, his Right Honourable Prime Minister Samuel Matekane, her Honourable President of the Senate, his Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly, his Lordship Chief Justice, her Honourable Deputy Prime Minister, and all the Honourable cabinet Ministers.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I warmly welcome all of you to attend this handover ceremony of China’s Emergency Food Assistance to the Kingdom of Lesotho. It is my great honour to represent the Chinese government in transferring this food assistance to the government of Lesotho. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to his Honourable Foreign Minister Lejone, his Honourable Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Tau, and to all the departments and persons of the Lesotho Government involved in the handover and distribution of the food aid. With the close cooperation of relevant departments of our two countries, 410 tons of white rice, 160 tons of parboiled rice and 240 tons of wheat (which total 810 tons of grain) have been delivered to Lesotho in 3 batches. This food assistance is part of the package of assistance provided by the Chinese government to Lesotho, which is meanwhile a concrete manifestation of the long-term mutual support between our two countries. I would like to share a few thoughts with you:

First, the emergency food assistance demonstrates China's commitment to keeping its promises and honoring its words in providing China Aid. China always upholds the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith in developing friendly ties with Africa. All cooperation with Africa is based on the actual needs of Africa. Food security has always been one of the priorities of practical cooperation between China and African countries including Lesotho. China supports Lesotho and other African countries in eliminating hunger and achieving food security. Since 2016, except for the COVID-19 pandemic period, the Chinese government has provided food assistance to the government of Lesotho every year and is willing to continue providing support within its capacity to address the urgent needs of the local people.

Second, the emergency food assistance reflects the close collaboration between China and Lesotho through concerted efforts. In September 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation that China and Africa should jointly advance modernization characterized by the ten partnership actions in the next 3 years. This emergency food assistance is not only a concrete action to jointly implement the ten partnership actions, but also a powerful measure for China and Lesotho to address global food security challenges together. China has noted that about 22% of the rural population in Lesotho, approximately 335,000 people, are still in a state of food crisis, and one-third of the population, about 700,000 people, will face hunger. In response, the Chinese government has decided to provide this new emergency food assistance to Lesotho and accelerate its implementation to support the country in combating drought. The Chinese Government will also provide agricultural machinery assistance to the Lesotho Government to support the Lesotho people in developing agricultural production, which demonstrates the profound nature of the friendship between China and Lesotho.

Further, the emergency food assistance reflects the deep-rooted and extensive people-to-people exchanges between China and Lesotho. China not only provides emergency food assistance to Lesotho but has also sent a total of 18 batches of Chinese medical teams to Lesotho, comprising more than 190 doctors. These teams embody the spirit of the Chinese medical teams as “tenacious, dedicated, saving lives with boundless love”. The Confucius Classroom at Machabeng High School was established in 2017, and the Confucius Institute at the National University of Lesotho will soon be inaugurated and operational. Bilateral cultural exchanges are continuously expanding, and the friendship between our two countries is flourishing and thriving perpetually.

Ladies and gentlemen,

China and Lesotho have recently elevated our bilateral relations to a strategic partnership. The China-Lesotho relationship has stood the test of the changing international landscape and emerged even stronger. China is a trustworthy friend, partner, and brother of Lesotho. We are willing to continue working hand in hand with Lesotho to deepen cooperation in various fields, including food security, to help Lesotho develop its economy and improve people’s livelihoods, support the country’s stability and development, and contribute to deepening the China-Lesotho strategic partnership as well as building an All-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. I thank you all!

Khotso, Pula, Nala! (Peace, Rain, Prosperity!)