Your Excellency, the Chairman of the National People’s Congress,
Honourable Ministers
Members of the diplomatic corps,
Our dear friends and comrades,
Fellow South Africans,
 
On behalf of the Government and the people of the Republic of South Africa, I wish to sincerely thank the Government and the people of the People’s Republic of China for bestowing upon South Africa this distinct honour of a State Year. 
 
South Africa appreciates your gesture, dedicating the year of the Horse as the symbol of strength, peace, beauty, gentleness, loyalty, collective hard work, and commitment to South Africa.
 
This is indeed a crucial milestone in the history of our people-to-people relations.
 
This past year has enabled South Africa to showcase our economic, political and cultural achievements since the end of apartheid to the people of China.
 
The year has yielded business and development opportunities and provided a platform to demonstrate South Africa’s innovation and best practices in a multitude of disciplines, including science and technology, mining, arts and culture, and tourism.
 
Throughout the year, we have been able to visit several provinces of your vast and beautiful country and interact on a personal level with the people of China from all walks of life.
 
We were warmly embraced wherever we went and new bonds of friendship and understanding were forged providing us a better understanding of each other.
We have, through this experience, learned to deeply appreciate the beauty of your country and the remarkable progress China has made over the past six decades to become a leading global power.
 
The Year has also served to profile South Africa and improve an understanding and appreciation of our country in China.
 
It is our view that this will ultimately lead to the further strengthening of ties in all walks of life between our peoples.
 
The celebration of South Africa has been an expression of our shared values, of mutual trust, mutual respect, mutual benefit and openness in all our interactions.
 
The outcomes of these celebrations will no doubt enhance our engagement on the road to prosperity and peaceful coexistence as citizens and friends in the international community.
 
The future of our peoples is in our collective hands. Let us continue to build that future together, a future of peace prosperity and harmonious coexistence.
 
We sincerely thank the Government and the people of China once again, for the unyielding support and solidarity as you assisted our democratic revolutionary movements not just in South Africa but also Africa at large.
 
We note your on-going commitment and support to ensure that our emerging nations succeed through development whilst you have practically demonstrated your commitment to the principles entrenched in South-South cooperation.
 
This is evident within the framework of the five pillars of your foreign policy of mutual respect, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference, equality and cooperation for mutual benefit and peaceful co-existence.
 
According to ancient Chinese philosophy there is a belief that to build an economy you must first build roads, we in South Africa concur with this fully.
 
We see these celebrations as a reflection of roads being built that connect our people working together in partnership towards peace and prosperity.
 
Your Excellency, esteemed guests,
 
We now have the honour and pleasure to formally invite you to bring the rich and vibrant Chinese culture to our shores as we prepare to celebrate 2015 as the Year of China in South Africa.
 
The people of South Africa will equally embrace you.
 
I thank you.