Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa on Monday hosted the Governor of China’s Fujian province, Zhao Long, at the Freedom Park Heritage Site and Museum in Pretoria.
The meeting sought to reaffirm the strong ties between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China, and to deepen sports and cultural ties between the two sides.
The Minister said that “our collaboration in sport reflects the broader partnership between South Africa and China. It is a partnership built on mutual respect, shared goals, and a commitment to the well-being and development of our people.”
Kodwa expressed gratitude and appreciation to China for participating in the BRICS Ministers of Sport Meeting, which was held in Durban in July, as well as the 15th BRICS Summit, that took place in Johannesburg last month.
He expressed that South Africa is eagerly awaiting the arrival of Chinese teams for the upcoming BRICS Games, set to take place in the country from 18 – 21 October 2023.
“The BRICS Games will showcase various sporting disciplines, including tennis, table tennis, beach volleyball, swimming and badminton. We have heard of the impressive badminton prowess of China’s Fujian province and hope to see an exhilarating competition between our teams in this sport during the Games,” Kodwa said.
While Fujian is known for being strong in badminton, the province is also home to sportswear company, Kelme, which has supported some sports teams in South Africa.
Governor Long shared that Fujian has seen extensive development and growth, and that the province has invaluable assets in theory and practice.
