From April 23 to 26, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Nthomeng Majara of the Kingdom of Lesotho led a delegation to Hubei Province. During its stay in Wuhan and Yichang, the delegation visited Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Union Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan United Imaging Healthcare Co., Ltd., the Three Gorges Dam, and Xujiachong Village. The visit further strengthened China-Lesotho cooperation in healthcare, agriculture, water management, and education.

Advancing agricultural cooperation

Hubei Province is an agricultural powerhouse. The Lesotho delegation’s first stop was Huazhong Agricultural University, where they expressed a desire to deepen cooperation with Hubei in agricultural technology and talent development.

At Huazhong Agricultural University, Deputy Prime Minister Majara has gained a deeper understanding of China’s advancements in agricultural science and modern farming. She expressed her hope that more Lesotho students could study agriculture in China and bring back home what they have learned here. Majara also welcomed Chinese experts to visit Lesotho to provide on-site guidance, especially in mechanization, to enhance crop yields.

Director-General Zhang Xiaomei emphasized Hubei’s pivotal role in China-Lesotho relations, noting that agricultural cooperation is crucial to the China-Africa community with a shared future. She hopes this visit will strengthen partnerships in higher education, agricultural technology, and talent development.

Li Zhaohu, President of Huazhong Agricultural University, stated that the university is ready to enroll more international students and keen to strengthen cooperation with Lesotho in areas such as cultivating high-quality maize and developing animal husbandry. He emphasized the university’s commitment to transforming its scientific and technological advantages into productivity and sharing development opportunities, technologies and achievements in agriculture with Lesotho.

The delegation also visited the National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and met with Lesotho students studying in Wuhan.

Forging closer people-to-people bonds

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the resumption of diplomatic relations between China and Lesotho. In 1997, China began sending medical teams to Lesotho. Nearly three decades on, Hubei has dispatched 18 batches of medical teams, greatly improving Lesotho’s healthcare system.

During their visit to Wuhan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, Minister of Health of Lesotho Selibe Mochoboroane recognized Dr. Wang Jiafang, the leader of the 17th Chinese medical team to Lesotho. Since 2015, the hospital has sent six doctors to support Motebang Hospital’s Anesthesiology Department, which has become the strongest specialized department in northern Lesotho.

Deputy Prime Minister Majara praised Chinese doctors for their expertise and noted that Lesotho citizens hold them in high regard. Mochoboroane expressed the intention to send Lesotho doctors to China for training.

The delegation made a request for Hubei’s assistance for Maseru District Hospital in Lesotho. Built with Chinese aid, this 200-bed hospital can accommodate up to 2,000 patients daily and will become Lesotho’s largest and most modern general hospital. Both sides agreed to enhance the hospital’s critical care department through equipment upgrades, personnel training, and medical support.

Learning from each other for shared development

On April 25, the delegation visited Yichang to learn about the Three Gorges Dam and Xujiachong Village’s development.

Standing atop the Three Gorges Dam, Deputy Prime Minister Majara expressed her admiration for the majestic engineering project. She also highlighted the potential of Lesotho’s abundant water resources, which, when effectively utilized, could boost its own economic growth and benefit the wider region.

In Xujiachong Village, the delegation visited the sewage treatment plant and laundry facility, and learned about local industries. Deputy Prime Minister Majara said China’s development journey is a source of inspiration for Lesotho to advance its water infrastructure and rural economy.