Strengthening Ties
China and South Africa pledged to advance their comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era on July 24. During the talks in Pretoria between visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, the two leaders agreed to strengthen high-level exchanges, deepen political mutual trust, align their development strategies, promote practical cooperation and increase people-to-people exchanges.
Noting that China and South Africa are both major developing countries and emerging markets with important influence, Xi said that since the forging of diplomatic relations 20 years ago, the two sides have been committed to mutually-beneficial cooperation and common development, stood together through thick and thin, and established a relationship that features sincere friendship, mutual trust and a close bond.
“Taking the opportunity of the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties, China stands ready to work with South Africa on supporting each other in hosting this year’s BRICS Summit in Johannesburg and Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-africa Cooperation (FOCAC), inheriting the past and ushering in the future, and pushing for more outcomes from the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, so as to bring greater benefits to our two peoples,” said Xi.
For his part, Ramaphosa said that South African and Chinese people enjoy traditional friendship, and the two countries have constantly consolidated and developed their relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties 20 years ago.
The relations have gone beyond the bilateral scope with important strategic significance, and the two countries have carried out fruitful cooperation on regional and multilateral levels, he said, noting that the special friendly ties have brought substantial benefits to the two peoples.
Xi arrived in Pretoria on July 23 to pay his third state visit to South Africa.
South Africa was the fourth stop of Xi’s five-nation Middle East and Africa tour, which had taken him to the United Arab Emirates, Senegal and Rwanda. He attended the 10th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg from July 25 to 27. On his way home, he also visited Mauritius.