Politics
China and Eritrea denounce hegemonic and interference acts

16 May 2023 

CGTN

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Isaias Afwerki of the State of Eritrea is paying a state visit to China. A welcome ceremony was held before the two held talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Business

A spectacular business affair: 25 years on

Brand SA country head China, Tshepuso Malele with Stella Sigcau,South African Consulate, Hong Kong

12 May 2023

The Consulate General in Hong Kong in partnership with Brand SA and Wines of South Africa (WOSA) hosted a Business Cocktail, a spectacular affair which included wine tasting to commemorate the 25 years of the diplomatic relations between South Africa and China. The event is one of the activities the Consulate General is embarking on to commemorate these cordial, mutual and intimate relations which have become stronger “25 years on” . It also precedes the Trade and Investment Seminar scheduled for September 2023 in Hong Kong.

Morocco-USA: Cities of Laayoune and Hollywood sign a twinning agreement

Youssef Abu Noor

11 May 2023

The city of Laayoune (Morocco) and the city of Hollywood in the state of Florida (United States) signed, on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 in Laayoune, a twinning agreement that is in the wake of Washington's recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over its Sahara, with the aim of strengthening cooperation between the two cities in the economic fields, cultural, educational and touristic.

CHINAFRICA

China and Brazil have agreed to trade in the Chinese currency renminbi and Brazilian real before the visit of Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to China. This shift away from the US dollar is regarded as pragmatic and rational in the face of the current global financial fiasco. Reports suggest that the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) may need to provide an alternative and support a rebalancing of the financial system.

POLITICS
Vietnam makes proposals for unlocking resources for ASEAN development

Hanoi (VNA) – The trip to Indonesia by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his entourage to attend the 42nd ASEAN Summit from May 9 to 11 has become a fine success which saw the leader make several proposals for promoting the self-reliance and unlocking resources for the development of the ASEAN Community, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son has said.

DIPLOMACY

Cuba and South Africa: two countries united by history

By Enrique Orta González - Ambassador of Cuba to South Africa

11 May 2023

Twenty-nine years ago, on 11 May 1994, diplomatic relations were established between Cuba and South Africa. This was during Fidel Castro's visit to Pretoria to attend the inauguration of anti-apartheid and African National Congress (ANC) leader Nelson Mandela. The formalisation of bilateral relations with Cuba was considered one of the first foreign policy acts of the democratic South African government, and Cuba was the first country to receive diplomatic recognition from the ANC government led by Nelson Mandela.

Commemorating the 78th Anniversary of Victory Day

10 May 2023

The 78th Anniversary of Victory Day was commemorated by the Russian Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. World War II, or the Great Patriotic War as it is known in Russia, ended on May 9, which is commemorated as Victory Day, the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.

Princess Pa in Vienna – through the lens of a fellow diplomat

9 May 2023

I first became involved in Princess Pa’s work when I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2009. I was assigned to be part of a team campaigning for the “Bangkok Rules on the treatment of women prisoners and offenders” to be adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. It was to be a culmination of a project Princess Pa was professed to be passionate about. I recall being up until three in the morning in Brazil, defending the inclusion of a paragraph on these draft Bangkok Rules in the outcome document of the Twelfth Crime Congress in 2010. This would later pave the way for the successful adoption of the rules later that year in New York. At that time, I learned a great deal about her personal motivations and efforts behind the initiative. Her sense of justice made a strong first impression on me.