I. Bilateral exchanges in 2005

Facilitated visits to South Africa by Chinese education higher levels

In May, 2005, Zheng Shushan, Assistant Minister of Education, made a stop-over visit to a few South African educational institutions. In the following month, a delegation led by Professor Kuang Jingming from Beijing Institute of Technology visited South Africa. An agreement was reached between Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Beijing Institute of Technology.

To put into practice the Agreement on bilateral exchanges on education between China and South Africa, quite a few important Chinese educational delegations have visited South Africa, such as delegation of the Section of Elementary Education of Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences, delegation of educational supervision, delegation of ethnic education, delegation of the Association of International Exchanges on Education, delegation of the Higher Education Press and delegation of the Research Centre for National Development of Education. These delegations made fruitful visits to the South Africa National Department of Education, provincial Departments of education, universities, high and primary schools, and private schools. In the year 2005, Chinese Embassy in South Africa received 278 members from 38 education-related delegations and groups.

South African Minister of Education's first visit to China

With the backing of Dr Zhou Ji, Chinese Minister of Education and Mr Liu Guijin, Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, a delegation led by Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor, MP,Minister of Education of the Republic of South Africa visited China from 25, November to 2, December, 2005, the first visit to China by the Minister of Education of South Africa since the two countries established diplomatic relations. Dr Zhou Ji met the delegation in Beijing. Pandor MP took part in the Forum of the Chinese and African Ministers of Education, signed the Beijing Proclamation, attended the meeting of the Education for All (EFA) High-Level Group hosted by UNESCO, and visited some universities including Beijing University. Pandor MP expressed her satisfaction with the successful visit.

Students bilateral exchange

Up to the end of November, 2005, the number of Chinese students studying in South Africa is 3196, with 4 on Chinese government scholarships. On the basis of the agreement on educational co-operation between the two countries, 7 South African students are studying in China on Chinese government scholarships, 4 South African diplomats are studying Chinese language at Chinese universities. Up till now 56 South African students are studying in China. Through the procedures of selecting and sending government sponsored students to China, relations of friendship and cooperation have been built up among the Chinese Embassy, South African Ministry of Education, South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs, South African Embassy in Beijing and South African Consulate General in Shanghai. Chinese Embassy also provided assistance to 10 MBA students and 15 third-year students of Chinese from the University of Stellenbosch for their 3-4 training programs in China.

With regard to aids to Africa program, 4 South African professors on the recommendation of the Chinese Embassy went to China to attend the study groups on Modern Agriculture and geological prospecting held by Chinese universities. With regard to multilateral diplomacy, the Embassy successfully won the support from South Africa in assisting Mr Zhang Xinsheng, vice Minister of Education of the PRC, in the election for the Membership and Chair of the UNESCO Executive Committee. Chinese National Committee of Education, Science and Culture sent a delegation to the World Heritage Conference in Durban. The Sports Union of the University of South Africa also supported Chinese city Shenzhen in running for a host of the World University Games in 2011.

II. Achievements made in Chinese teaching in South Africa

1. Chinese Bridge Project

The construction of Confucius Institute was further facilitated. The Centre for China Studies(CCS) at Stellenbosch University was publicly listed and announced. According to a report from the director of the CCS, 14 tasks were fulfilled by the CCS in 2005 including three publications- China Monitor, China Quarterly and Annual Africa-China Review; China Forum was started; 16 articles were published on major South African Media; 2 doctor's degree candidates on economy, 8 Master's degree candidates on political economy, 85 undergraduates of Chinese were recruited. 3 teachers of Chinese were working in the centre. In 2005, Chinese government appropriated R 640,000 for the development of the centre.

At the demand of some South African universities, the embassy is planning to establish a Confucius Institute in the north of the country.

2. Textbooks and multimedia courseware

In November, 2005, the textbook Chinese- Distance Learning, compiled by professor Xia Jingchun, who was sent by Chinese government, was published by the University of South Africa Press. It is the first Chinese textbook published in South Africa by a scholar from Chinese mainland. The following month, Feng Lei, another Chinese teacher sent by the Chinese government working at Stellenbosch University published Magic Brush, a story book on Chinese history and culture, which was included in the Mandarin studies booklist for the students of Chinese at the university. Mrs Yu Xiaoping, a lecturer at Stellenbosch University made a courseware entitled Chinese Character Challenger, which has been put on the campus web for the students to use. Mrs Yu Xiaoping gave a special introduction of the courseware at the 8th International Seminar on Chinese Language Teaching and Research.

3. In December, 2005, the Association of Teachers of Chinese in South Africa was founded and the first academic exchange seminar was conducted at Stellenbosch University.

4. On the 26 of May, the Fourth "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition (preliminary) was held at the Music Hall at Stellenbosch University. It was the third time that the Chinese Embassy conducted the nation-wide contest on Chinese language. Mikaela from Stellenbosch University won the first place and Sebo, who was from the University of Cape Town, got the second place. Both of them were selected as representatives of South African university students and went to Beijing in July for the finals.

5. Introduced the program of "Volunteer Teachers of Chinese", investigating the possibility of starting Chinese teaching at South African high schools, establishing HSK test centre in South Africa. Made marketing investigation on the use of Chinese textbooks in assistance to the National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language(NOTCFL) and the Higher Education Press.

6. Donated 1000 books to South African universities and 100 books to 3 Chinese schools in South Africa.

7. In May, together with the Overseas Chinese News held the prize-giving ceremony for the "Rainbow Cup" Chinese writing competition. Six winners were awarded prizes.

2. Made arrangements for South Africans to attend the First World Chinese Conference

Three South African people attended the World Chinese Conference. They are respectively from the National Department of Education, Department of Education of West Cape and the University of Stellenbosch. In addition, Mrs Yu Xiaoping from Stellenbosch University attended the 8th Seminar on International Chinese Teaching.

3. Chinese training program for South African tourist guides

Based on the plan on human resources training drawn by the two governments, in January of 2005, the Chinese Embassy and the South African Ministry of Environment and Tourism reached an agreement at Pretoria that a Chinese training program for South African tourist guides be started. It is a one-year program and the NOTCFL sent a Chinese teacher and textbooks. The program turned out to be a success with 13 black trainees obtaining certificates after 10 months' training of Chinese. The South African Department of Environment and Tourism paid high tribute to the program with comments that it was a great achievement of the cooperation of human resources training between the two countries. It is hoped that the program would continue.

4. Hosted "Week of Chinese Culture" and "Chinese Language Festival"

In August and September, the embassy hosted "Week of Chinese Culture" at the libraries at the University of South Africa and the University of Pretoria. It was warmly welcomed by the local teachers and students. The embassy also sent people to the "Chinese Language Festival" at the University of South Africa, the international symposium at Tshwane University of Technology and "Chinese Culture Day" at the University of Stellenbosch.

Ⅲ The prospects for the year 2006

At the 5th meeting of Education for All (EFA) High-Level Group hosted

by UNESCO, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made solemn promises that China was willing to make contributions to the worldwide development of education for all. Chinese Premier made five promises to offer assistance to education in Africa: to increase the number to 1000 of African school officials and teachers coming to China to receive training; to provide one million dollars to UNESCO African Capacity Building Centre and Centre for School Girls and Women, for relevant research and training; to help build 100 village schools for developing countries in three years from now, and teaching facilities are also provided by Chinese government; to increase the number of African students studying in China, doubling the number(1200 now) of African students studying in China on Chinese government's scholarships; to increase aid for education to severely afflicted areas in Africa.

China and South Africa are both developing countries. We have solid background of developing educational cooperation and successful cases have been made. The establishment of the strategic companionship and the Education Branch of the Binational Committee greatly promoted the educational exchange and cooperation. The focus of the cooperation in 2006 will be on the five promises made by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, and the Chinese Embassy will continue to enlarge the exchanges between high education officials. An educational delegation headed by Chinese Vice-minister of Education will visit South Africa. China will help South Africa build a village school, train math and science teachers. From 2006, the number of South African students studying in China on Chinese government scholarships will be increased from 5 every two years to 15. The two countries will continue to extend cooperation in the frame of the UNESCO. The establishment and running of the Centre for China Studies at Stellenbosch University is an example of successful cooperation on education between the two countries and Chinese government will continue to support the development of the centre. Confucius Institute will be set up in Pretoria with the collaboration between two universities from both sides.

According to the demand of the Bilateral Committee of China and South Africa, a meeting of the Educational branch of the committee will be held in Beijing. Chinese Embassy admires wholeheartedly the achievements on educational reforms made by South Africa since 1994. We look forward to more fruitful cooperation and exchanges on education.