In the office of Chris Matlhako, Coordinator of the South African Peace Initiative (SAPI) and former 2nd Deputy General Secretary of South African Communist Party (SACP), the series of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" is placed in a prominent position on the bookcase. Matlhako said in an interview that "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" is a classic work for understanding China. The series contains new concepts, new thoughts and new strategies of the CPC in governing the country. It is an important guide for learning and understanding Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era.  

The Chinese and English editions of the fourth volume of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" were published in July 2022. Matlhako said the newly-released volume, with its new content, enabled readers to learn the continuous enrichment and development of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era. The CPC always stays true to the original aspiration, keeps pace with the times, and always upholds the fundamental interests of the Chinese people, he remarked.  

Both the CPC and the SACP celebrated their centenary in 2021. According to Matelhako, the CPC has enriched and developed Marxism through practice, and continuously exchanged experience with political parties around the world, making important contributions to the development of political civilization of mankind.  

Under the leadership of the CPC, China has eliminated absolute poverty for the first time in history, and is working hard to help rural and urban residents move toward common prosperity. Calling it a remarkable achievement, he said the SACP was learning experience in poverty alleviation from the CPC and actively carrying out poverty alleviation actions in rural areas.  

Matelhako visited China many times at the invitation of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and other departments, and witnessed China's urban development during his visit to Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Shenzhen. He called the achievements of China's reform and opening up under the leadership of the CPC over the past 40 years and more a huge contribution to the development of human civilization. He also highlighted that China's rapid development was made against a background of a large population and uneven development between urban and rural areas, saying that "China's miracle" inspired the vast number of developing countries.  

He stressed that China has maintained its position as the world's second largest economy, and become an important engine for world economy. Politically, China has also kept pace with the times, providing a strong guarantee for national construction.  

He believed that with increasing overall national strength and international influence, China is playing an increasingly important role in regional and global affairs. In particular, China has always provided development opportunities for all countries with practical actions. The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), for instance, has created opportunities for BRI partners countries to realize mutual benefit and win-win results through cooperation. BRI projects such as energy, infrastructure projects have brought tangible benefits to African partners. Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway and Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway have greatly improved the road networks in East Africa and driven the development of the region. It has become one of the regions with the fastest economic growth on the African continent.  

Matelhako saw China-proposed concepts and global public goods like the Global Development Initiative(GDI), the Global Security Initiative(GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative(GCI) a wise step to continuously promote global cooperation and respond to common challenges. He emphasized the China-proposed concepts and initiatives focus on the urgent needs of human development, embody the principle of equality and mutual benefit, and will surely gain support of more and more countries and people, and play an important role in promoting global development.