;i calls on &Kina 6oXWK $Irica Wo conWinXe sWriYinJ Ior closer Wies

35(725,$ &hinese 3resi dent ;i -inping called on &hina and South $frica to continue striYing to deYelop closer ties and join hands to achieYe their dreams in de Yelopment.

³7here is huge potential for bilateral ties, but we cannot stop racing ahead. $s the two countries embark on a new journey of deYelopment, we should work hand in hand and heart to heart to assist each other in achieYing our dreams in deYelopment,´ he said.

;i made the remarks while attending a welcome banTuet hosted by his South $frican counterpart, &yril 5ama phosa, to celebrate the th anniYersary of diplomatic ties between &hina and South $frica.

7he two countries estab lished diplomatic ties on -an.

, , opening a new chap ter in bilateral ties.

³7he &hina South $frica re lationship has taken a major leap forward oYer the past

years,´ ;i said, adding that the rapid deYelopment of ties not only embodies the constant deepening of &hina $frica cooperation, but also manifests the solidarity and coordination between major deYeloping countries.

Such fruitful outcomes of bilateral ties in just years mainly resulted from the fact that the two sides always sup port and rely on each other, maintain mutual respect and trust, and promote mutual understanding and win win cooperation, he said.

;i called on the two sides to bear in mind the big picture of the direction of bilateral ties, cement political mutual trust, and always treat each other as sincere comrades and brothers sharing weal and woe.

+e also urged the two sides to constantly tap their deYelop ment potential, adYance prac tical cooperation, strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, and promote people to people e[changes.

7he two countries should enhance high leYel strategic coordination and continue to support each other in interna tional affairs, so as to jointly build a new type of interna tional relations and a commu nity with a shared future for mankind, ;i said.

)or his part, 5amaphosa e[ tended warm welcome to ;i, saying that he was glad to celebrate with the &hinese president the th anniYer sary of diplomatic ties. +ailing the close contact be tween the two ruling parties, countries and peoples, as well as the sound coopera tion on bilateral, regional and global leYel, 5amaphosa said that South $frica &hina rela tionship is at the best period in history.

;i¶s Yisit

shows

that

the South $frica &hina relation ship is of strategic signifi cance, surpassing the usual scope of bilateral ties, he said.

7he South $frican presi dent also pledged to imple ment the consensus reached between the two sides and deepen all round cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, technology and people to people e[changes.

(Xinhua)