中国驻南非使馆举行2023年欢乐春节暨侨界新春招待会******

　　中新网约翰内斯堡1月19日电 　南非当地时间1月18日，在中国农历新年兔年来临之际，中国驻南非大使馆举行“2023年欢乐春节暨侨界新春招待会”。

　　当日，中国驻南非大使陈晓东及夫人张斌，南非前总统莫特兰蒂夫妇，基础教育部长莫采卡夫妇，妇女、青年及残障部长马沙巴内等出席并致辞。此外，在南华侨华人、中资机构人员、孔子学院师生和中国留学生代表，南智库学者、部分驻南使节以及使馆外交官300多人共迎新春。

　　陈晓东首先感谢拉马福萨总统给中国人民及在南华人华侨送上新春祝福，表示总统讲话体现了对中国人民的友好情谊以及发展中南关系的高度重视，并向旅南同胞和关心支持中南友好的各界人士致以新春祝福和节日问候。

　　陈晓东表示，2022年中南关系取得丰硕成果，彰显“同志加兄弟”特殊情谊，共同引领中南战略政治互信提升到新高度。双方在国际组织和多边机制中开展卓有成效的合作，共同推动国际治理体系变革，共同维护非洲和广大发展中国家根本利益，树立了发展中国家团结协作的典范。

　　陈晓东强调，今年是中南建交25周年。1月1日两国外长互致贺电，庆祝这一历史里程碑时刻。南方已接棒中国担任金砖主席国，将举办金砖国家领导人会晤等一系列重要会议。中方愿同南方以落实两国元首重要共识为引领，不断增强政治互信，深化务实合作，加大相互支持，促进民心人文联通，共同捍卫多边主义和国际公平正义，携手同心，并肩前行，共同谱写中南中非命运共同体新的华彩乐章。

　　莫特兰蒂在致辞中表示，中国共产党带领中国人民找到了成功的发展模式，为世界各国政党树立了可资借鉴的典范。南中互利共赢的友好合作关系既为两国人民、也为世界人民带来福祉；莫采卡表示，全球发展中国家受疫情影响，都处于困境，需要携手创新合作方式，新的一年南非期待继续全面加强同中国合作；马沙巴内表示，南中关系源远流长、历久弥新，期待南中继续加强合作，为中国、南非乃至整个世界创造包容性的未来作出更大贡献。

　　全非洲中国和平统一促进会会长徐长斌表示，旅南同胞将踔厉奋发新时代，勇毅前行新征程，为推进建设中国式现代化国家和中南关系发展添砖加瓦，共襄中华民族复兴大业，共享中华民族复兴荣光。

　　来自南中的艺术团体还为招待会奉献了精彩的文艺演出。演出结束后，来宾们纷纷驻足参观中国非物质文化遗产展示摊位，对茶艺展示、春联书写、服装展示、生肖讲解等内容兴趣盎然，兔年吉祥物、剪纸、折扇等中国特色礼品被领取一空。(完)

中新网评：美国众议长选举“连续剧”暴露美式民主痼疾******

　　中新网北京1月9日电(蒋鲤)在15轮投票表决后，美国众议院议长选举这场“连续剧”终于落下帷幕，众议院共和党领袖凯文·麦卡锡最终成功当选第55任美国众议院议长。这是美国国会过去164年来耗时最久的一次议长选举记录，将美国“对抗式民主”的弊端暴露无遗。

　　资料图：美国众议院共和党领袖麦卡锡。中新社记者 沙晗汀摄

　　由于两党对立加剧、党派内斗、利益分配不均等因素，众议长选举陷入一场拉锯战。在此次众议长竞选中，美国民主党议员继续抱团，多轮投票中，一票不投麦卡锡，共和党右翼“强硬派”领头的约20人小团体也拒绝投票麦卡锡。

　　麦卡锡的当选之路一波三折，除了本人的“政治投机派”角色在国会不受欢迎外，与共和党内部政治分歧关系密切。

　　一方面，共和党党内反对者认为，麦卡锡对民主党态度过于软弱，无力对抗民主党控制的参议院和拜登政府，另一方面，因为共和党的多数优势微弱，党内一些影响力较小的派系的政治力量则被放大，有利于他们巩固自己的选票。

　　此外，党内反对者也认为，自己的选票没有换取更多利益，希望以此作为筹码换取麦卡锡更大的让步，比如让他们获得众议院重要委员会中的职务。

　　作为仅次于美国总统、副总统的政坛三号人物，众议院议长通常由众议院多数党领袖担任，选举几乎没有悬念。然而，麦卡锡此次为当选，不得不做出多个关键让步，其中可能包括恢复一项罢黜议长动议机制，使得众议长的权力被削弱，难以掌控众议院。

　　美国有线电视新闻网CNN称，麦卡锡在这场不合时宜的政治勒索中作出让步，这种绥靖政策只会让极端主义势力更加强大。

　　这场引发全世界围观的尴尬选举暴露出美国政治存在严重的对立和分化。在权力博弈思维的裹挟下，党派利益凌驾于国家和人民利益之上，美国两党相互拆台，陷入“为反对而反对”的无脑对垒。而即便是一党内，也会因为利益分配问题产生不同的小派系，相互对抗，选票变成了谋利益的工具。

　　从国会山骚乱到打破记历史记录的15轮众议长选举，“对抗式民主”让美国政治陷入瓶颈，长期对抗势必会让政客们丧失客观公正的判断能力，其政治阶层是否有能力治理国家也会引发质疑。

　　两党之争和党派内斗进一步放大了美国政治体制弊病，美国所谓的“民主”形象，让全世界大跌眼镜。鼓吹以选民利益为先的美式选举，变成了政客们利益置换的游戏，进一步彰显出美国“民主政治”日渐失能，不断极化的党争已使美国政治制度陷入死循环。

　　House speaker election reveals deep-rooted problems in U.S. democracy

　　(ECNS) -- The Republican leader Kevin McCarthy was elected as the 55th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives after 15 ballots. As the most grueling House speaker election in the past 164 years, the election has highlighted the defects of the country’s "confrontational democracy".

　　The election once reached a stalemate due to intense partisan strife, inner-party struggle among the Republicans, uneven distribution of interests, and more. Democratic Party members forged a close alliance, refusing to vote for McCarthy, while about 20 Republicans also declined to cast ballots for the GOP leader.

　　Except for his unpopular role as a "political speculator" in Congress, McCarthy’s hard-won election can be attributed to turmoil within the Republican Party.

　　On the one hand, opponents in the Republican Party believe that the GOP leader's attitude toward the Democrats is too weak to confront the Senate controlled by Democrats and the Biden administration.

　　On the other hand, the political power of some less influential factions in the Republican Party has been amplified due to the Party’s weak majority advantage in the House of Representatives, which is conducive to consolidating their ticket warehouses.

　　Meanwhile, these opponents believe that their votes failed to win them more benefits, hoping to use this as a bargaining chip for McCarthy's further concessions, such as getting them positions in important House Committees.

　　As the third political figure after the President and Vice President of the U.S., the speaker, by tradition, is the head of the majority party in the House of Representatives.

　　But McCarthy has made many concessions in order to bring the ultra conservatives along, involving what’s known as the “motion to vacate,” a mechanism by which members can force a vote to depose the speaker. The reported concessions will empower individual members at the expense of McCarthy’s sway as speaker.

　　CNN thought the concessions he made during this unseemly political shakedown would only make the extremist faction more powerful.

　　This embarrassing election, which has drawn global attention, exposed the serious opposition and polarization in American politics. Both Democrats and Republicans put their interests before that of the country and its people, attacking and opposing each other irrationally.

　　Besides, different factions arise within a single party and confront each other because of the distribution of interests. Votes have become a tool to win more benefits.

　　From Capitol riots to the House Speaker election with record-breaking ballots, "confrontational democracy" has become a bottleneck of American politics. Long-term confrontation will surely impede politicians to think objectively and fairly while their capacity of governing the country will also raise doubts among the public.

　　Both parties’ struggle and infighting among the Republicans have further amplified the defects of the American political system, with its "democratic" image shocking the world.

　　The U.S.-style election, which advocates putting voters' interests first, has become a game of interest exchange among politicians. In addition, it further demonstrates the malfunction of American "democratic politics" and the constantly polarized party struggle that has trapped the American political system into an infinite cycle.