South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The Chinese embassy, in collaboration with key stakeholders in South Sudan, convened a high-level symposium aimed at advancing peace and development while fostering a community with a shared future.
Huo Ying, the Charge d’Affaires at the Chinese embassy in South Sudan, revealed that China has initiated a development programme for South Sudan, emphasising the belief that humanity is working towards a community with a shared future.
“This symposium focuses on the themes of peace and development, as well as building a community with a shared future for humanity. We will continue to play a constructive role, within our capacity, in South Sudan’s development and prosperity moving forward,” said Ying.
“Without development, peace cannot be easily attained. South Sudan is the world’s youngest country, and the international community should demonstrate the necessary tolerance and patience. Only by working together can we overcome challenges and create a better future,” she added.
Ying urged the international community to respect South Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, rather than interfering in its internal affairs under various pretexts.
“China has proposed numerous development initiatives, encouraging the international community to collaboratively address pressing issues such as insecurity and poverty reduction, and to expedite the implementation of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals,” she stated.
Robert Mayom Deng, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Juba, remarked that South Sudan should adopt the Chinese model of investing in education to reach the standards of universities in Western countries.
“For China, they implemented two programmes, the 211 Plan and the 985 Plan. In the first one, the government selected a number of universities across the country, with national government funding allocated to about 140 universities in China,” explained Robert.
Martin Elia Lomuro, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, noted that insecurity, including political and social instability, has impacted the nation, adding that the government is making efforts to implement peace throughout the country.
“While we appreciate our relationship with China, it is crucial that we address some of the negative impacts of companies and develop a Chinese policy to ensure compliance with corporate responsibilities,” said Lomuro.
“In our government, there are opinions suggesting that we should hand over all our resources, whether minerals or oil, to China, allowing them to construct all the roads, hospitals, and private schools. These views exist within the government,” he added.
