China, South Africa agree to carry forward traditional friendship, achieve greater results in ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa hold talks in Pretoria, South Africa, July 24, 2018. [Photo: Xinhua/Xie Huanchi]

China and South Africa have pledged to promote friendly relations and cooperation in the New Era.

During the talks 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 and increase people-to-people exchanges.

CRI's Yu Yang has the story.

President Xi Jinping has expressed appreciation to President Ramaphosa for his contributions to the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and to the development of bilateral relations.

He says the two sides have been committed to cooperation and common development since the forging of diplomatic relations 20 years ago.

"China-South Africa relations have leapt from a partnership to a strategic partnership and then to a comprehensive strategic partnership over the past years, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. Now China-South Africa relations are standing at a new historical point."

Noting that China and South Africa are both major developing countries and emerging-market countries with important influence, Xi Jinping says both sides should jointly safeguard multilateralism, oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and promote a more just and equitable international order.

The Chinese President also says the two sides should promote security and law-enforcement cooperation.

President Ramaphosa says South African and Chinese people enjoy a traditional friendship, and the two countries have carried out fruitful cooperation on regional and multilateral levels.

"President Xi and I have agreed to continue supporting each other in international fora, including at the level of the United Nations. We took the opportunity to thank China for supporting South Africa's candidature to have a seat, a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. In 2019, South Africa will be commencing its seat in this regard. Both countries continue to advance the centrality of the United Nations and other multilateral fora in resolving issues of global concern. "

Ramaphosa has also expressed gratitude for China's support at the 10th BRICS summit in Johannesburg.

After the talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral cooperation documents.

Xi Jinping arrived in Pretoria on Monday to pay his third state visit to the "rainbow nation."

South Africa is the fourth stop of Xi Jinping's five-nation Middle East and Africa tour, which has taken him to the United Arab Emirates, Senegal and Rwanda.

He will also visit Mauritius during a stopover.