This report is written by the People's Daily Delegation about its impression on a goodwill visit to South Africa. Following are highlights of the report.

On November 22, the five-member People's Daily Delegation set foot on the beautiful land of Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, for a friendly visit.

On the morning of November 24, the delegation headed by President Shao Huaze visited the building of the headquarters of South Africa's Independent News and Media Group. Thereafter, at the request of the host, the delegation had an in-depth exchange of views with the host on the role of newspapers in social change, as well as how newspapers should meet the challenges posed by Internet. President Shao pointed out that over the past 20 years of reform and opening up, the People's Daily has been an active participant in the reform and opening line initiated by Comrade Deng Xiaoping, and has played its due, important role in promoting social change, its voice has received consistent attention from people in various social circles. In international publicity, we have persistently upheld justice and given active support to the just struggles of the people of various countries around the world, including South African people's fight against Apartheid. At present, the newspapers of various countries are faced with the challenges of the Internet. Talking about how to meet this new challenge, President Shao said: First, in the information society where Internet is developing rapidly, the role of newspapers is, likewise, irreplaceable, but they should make improvements through such measures as expanding the volume of information, increasing commentaries and enhancing the effectiveness of time; second, efforts should be made to run the mother newspaper as well as subsidiary newspapers and magazines well so as to extend the publicity of the major newspaper and expand its influence; third, newspapers should also make full use of networks, the fourth medium, so as to make the content of newspapers networking. The website(http://www. peopledaily. com. cn) is currently the largest of its kind in China, it consists not only of Chinese edition, but also of English and Japanese editions, and the French and Spanish editions will be gradually added in the future, so that more readers in various countries will be able to read on-line People's Daily.

The responsible leaders of the Independent News and Media Group agreed with the above-mentioned viewpoints of President Shao.

Although it is less than two years since China and South Africa formally established diplomatic relations in January 1998, the relationship of friendship and cooperation between the two countries has witnessed a good momentum of high-quality, rapid and comprehensive development, there have been frequent exchanges of visits by top leaders, and cooperation and exchange between various quarters of the two countries have undergone vigorous development. When China's "Shenzhou" manned spacecraft landed in beautiful port city of Cape Town, the second largest city of South Africa, it attracted the exceptional attention of the local residents. On November 27, the delegation members were invited to board the spaceship and have discussion with the crew. They reached a consensus that the successful launch of the manned spacecraft has enormously enhanced the power and strengthened the national defense of China, winning honor for the motherland the the people.

During the six-day visit, the delegation members deeply felt the diligence, wisdom, warmth, and hospitality of the South African people and their friendly feeling for the Chinese people.