Amb.Langa: 15th anniv. marks milestone of China, S. Africa [Exclusive Video] (3)

PD Online: The development and cooperation between our two countries seems great. Are you satisfied with it?

Dr.Langa: Yes, it is great! Last year, 2012, we had more than 10,000 Chinese people visiting South Africa, which is a very significant development. And it might also be because of the newly established direct flight between Johannesburg and Shanghai since February 2012. We’ve seen the result of direct flight really facilitated the flow of people from both sides.

Dr.Langa: Definitely, I am satisfied. I do think there are a lot of improvements in our relationship while we have remarkable growth in development and cooperation in trade, investment and tourism. I still think there is quite a lot that can be done and one of the areas we need to further work on is the contact between people from both nations to strengthen tourism and cultural exchange.

First of all I think both China and S. Africa have a lot to offer in terms of culture. S. Africa is going to learn more about Chinese culture. S. Africa is rich in culture and we are open to Chinese people. I am quite happy that South Africa has established three Confusions institutions, promoting Chinese culture and mandarin. We also see the increasing number of S. Africa students coming to China to study mandarin, Chinese culture and other areas. So all of these will certainly do well for future cooperation between us I guess.

PD Online: As an experienced diplomat, you have served as ambassadors to many countries. What different feelings China brings to you?

Dr.Langa: I am very happy to be ambassador here in China. I find that Chinese people are very welcoming, warm and well-mannered. Beijing is a very safe city. I like walking around. I walked a lot in Beijing and I enjoy being here. This is one of the feelings I want to share. I feel safe, secured and very welcomed.

PD Online: What different feelings China brings to you?

Dr.Langa: When I got here I have opportunity to learn more about Chinese culture and I took language classes to better appreciate Chinese arts and culture. I also got the opportunity to go to the theater. Before I came here I worked in Russia. I‘ve been very fortunate to have served in twovery important countries for S. Africa. China is my second destination as ambassador. So I am cherishing the opportunity to serve in this great country.

PD Online: Have you ever been to other cities in China?

Dr.Langa: I have been in many cities in China. I have travelled and visited many places in China. I think getting to know this country helps me with my work and allows me to engage more effectively with my Chinese colleagues. So I seized all the opportunity to travel and I have been to a number of places. To mention it, recently I have been to Guangzhou. I’ve been as far as Harbin, Tibet, Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Xi’an, and other cities. But I think it is not enough because China is a big country.

PD Online: Generally speaking, South Africa is a distant country for most of the Chinese people, important but also mysterious. As an ambassador to China, how do you introduce your country to Chinese people?

Dr.Langa: S. Africa is quite far from China. The direct flight Johannesburg – Beijing takes about 15 hours, but I think it is a journey that is quite worth doing. It’s a faraway country but it has a lot to offer. S. Africa is known as a unique country because of the diversity in culture and natural resources. We have a very mild climate. The country is surrounded by oceans.

South Africa can provide you with multiple forms of tourism, such as adventure tours, health tours, etc. S. Africa has much to offer since it has rich natural resources. We have natural parks where you can see wild life. In my opinion, though it is quite distant from China, S. Africa is worth visiting. As I have mentioned, the number of Chinese visitors who arrive in South Africa is increasing by year.