The "China Bookshelf" project was launched at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa on Nov. 3, 2022. Initiated by China Energy Investment Corporation Longyuan South Africa Renewables, it is the first project of its kind undertaken by a Chinese company in South Africa.
The project is based in the library of the Confucius Institute for Chinese Medicine in the main teaching building of the University of the Western Cape, where Longyuan South Africa Renewables built the bookshelves and provided a total of 360 books in different categories such as Chinese series, anti-epidemic documentaries, cultural development, literary works, technological innovation and Chinese language teaching.
The opening day was attended by representatives from the University of Johannesburg, Rhodes University and Stellenbosch University in South Africa, the University of Sussex in the UK and Zhejiang Normal University in China.
To fully showcase Chinese culture to South African university students, the site also introduced Chinese tea culture, Chinese medicine and other related knowledge through a combination of scenes and displays.
Umesh Bawa, Director of International Relations Office at the University of the Western Cape, and Zeng Liren, Chinese Co-Director of the Confucius Institute for Chinese Medicine, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches, in which they acknowledged the opportunity and platform provided by the project for students from both countries to exchange and learn, and highlighted Longyuan South Africa Renewabale’s sponsorship and support for the event and its positive contribution to China-South Africa friendship and cooperation.