Celebrating Lunar New Year and diplomacy between SA and China

In her book Spring Festival, Su Jin describes the significance of the Chinese Lunar New Year as a home reunion – ancestor worship.

“While the living gather for happy reunion, they never forget to invite their ancestors to come home for a look of their happy life.

“Their offspring cook a new year dinner for their deceased ancestors as a token of gratitude and wish they would help protect them from the other world,” writes Su.

For the Chinese, the festival is not only a millennium celebration, but a unique family party. Like black Africans, who slaughter goats, sheep and cows – all to pray to their ancestors – the unique concept of family and kinship of the Chinese, passed down from generation to generation, has become a cultural gene.

“The Spring Festival is therefore the annual flowering and fruiting time of the family tree of numerous Chinese families,” says Su.

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It was against this background that colleague Eric and I last week attended festivities at the Chinese embassy in Pretoria, with ambassador Wu Peng, and, later, in Sandton with consul-general Pan Qingjiang, in celebration of the Year of the Snake.

You cannot be knowledgeable on any tradition or culture without attending other nations’ festivities. In South Africa, we have black Africans who can speak English and Afrikaans fluently, while whites struggle to tie together a sentence in isiXhosa, seTswana or seSotho.

Thirty years into democracy, this surely would not be acceptable in another country.

According to Pan, the Chinese Lunar New Year, is “the most important traditional festival of China”.

The festival is a time for family reunion – “time to bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new one”.

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“The Lunar New Year is celebrated in China Thursday 12 30 January 2025 and around the world. Last month, it was inscribed by Unesco on the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

“Today, we have prepared a variety of cultural experience booths, showcasing Chinese traditional delicacies, such as dumplings, pastries and a kind of sugar-coated fruits.

“We are also showcasing the ceremonial tea making, Chinese ethnic costumes, calligraphy and many other intangible cultural heritage articles.”

It was time to enjoy martial arts, songs and dances. “Our Chinese compatriots can feel the homely festive atmosphere and our South African friends can experience the traditional oriental culture and lively atmosphere of this festival,” said Pan.

With trade between South Africa and China having grown into billions, Wu expressed a deep sense of appreciation at diplomacy moving beyond business.

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“The Chinese embassy and three consulates-general in South Africa, will continue to uphold the principle of Koppel-centred diplomacy.

“We will stay dedicated to providing better services for our compatriots and working to create a better environment for them to live, work and study in South Africa,” said Wu.

Last year, China-South Africa practical cooperation grew tremendously.

According to Wu, trade reached $52 billion (nearly R971 billion), “which is nearly 20% of China’s trade with all of Africa”.

“More than 200 Chinese enterprises are doing business in South Africa, investing over $10 billion. The 35 South African companies attracted great attention at the 7th China International Import and Export Expo in Shanghai actively expanded their exports to China and other markets,” said Wu.

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Who says a strong cultural exchange does not make a business sense?