The Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Alan Ganoo, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Liying Zhu, unveiled, this morning, the Seven Wonders of Friendship Mural, on the exterior boundary wall of the Chan Chak Pagoda, in Chinatown, Port Louis.
The event, which is an initiative of the New China Foundation, was held to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Mauritius and the People’s Republic of China. The mural, painted by three young local artists, extends over 17m long and 2m50 high on Dr Sun Yat Sen Street. It depicts the colourful adventures of a dragon exploring the seven wonders of both Mauritius and China while meeting and befriending a panda, a lion, a dodo and the Buddha.
Several personalities were also present at the unveiling ceremony namely the Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin; the Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr Avinash Teeluck; and the Parliamentary Private Secretary, Dr Muhammad Ismaël Rawoo, among others.
In his address, Minister Ganoo stressed that 15 April 1972 was a watershed moment when strong ties, based on mutual respect, and the right to territorial sovereignty and integrity, were established with China, though the historical ties already existed with the arrival of the first Chinese migrants in Mauritius 240 years ago.
According to the Minister, the relations between the two Republics would be growing stronger in the future. He added that with Mauritius becoming the first African country to enter into a Free Trade Agreement with China in January 2021, he looked forward to new avenues of collaboration. He also expressed his gratitude for the continuous support of China in various spheres such as infrastructure, technical assistance, and training.
For the Minister of Arts and Cultural Heritage, Mr Avinash Teeluck, the enduring Sino-Mauritian relationship was exceptional, and was brought out, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the heart-felt assistance of the Chinese Government and Embassy to help Mauritius get through this difficult time.
Recalling that the signing of the agreement for cultural cooperation dated back to 1980, Minister Teeluck talked of the various visits of cultural and artistic performance troupes between the two countries, as well as the array of activities organised by the Chinese Cultural Centre in Mauritius. “We expect and hope that the agreement for cultural cooperation will be renewed for another three-year period so as to pursue the cultural diplomacy between our two countries,” he stressed.
As for Ambassador Liying Zhu, he paid homage to all the people who contributed to strengthen the Sino-Mauritian ties. He pointed out that Chinatown was both the result and the witness of the efforts of the Chinese Migrants to the development of Mauritius. The Ambassador spoke as well of the necessity to promote cultural exchanges between the youths of the two countries.
