Visiting President Hu Jintao met with South African Deputy
President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka in Pretoria on Wednesday for
discussions on ways of deepening mutually-beneficial and practical
cooperation between their two countries.
Mlambo-Ngcuka briefed Hu on South Africa's economic and social
development and gave an account of the Accelerated and Shared
Growth Initiative of South Africa.
South Africa attaches great importance to its relations with
China and wants to strengthen its cooperation with the country in
infrastructure construction, agriculture, mining and vocational
training, she said.
Hu voiced his appreciation for the South African government's
efforts to promote the country's economic and social development
and said China supports the Accelerated and Shared Growth
Initiative of South Africa.
As both China and South Africa have their own advantages in
resources, markets, technology and investment and their economies
are highly complementary, there are broad prospects for bilateral
cooperation, Hu said, noting that South Africa has become one of
China's biggest economic and trade cooperation partners in
Africa.
He said China will work together with South Africa to take
practical measures to establish balanced and reciprocal trade
relations between the two countries.
China is also ready to boost cooperation with South Africa in
poverty alleviation, employment, rural development, infrastructure,
skills training, capacity building and Chinese language teaching,
Hu said.
Hu started a three-day state visit to South Africa on Tuesday
after paying visits to Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia and
Namibia. He will also visit Mozambique and Seychelles.
(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2007)
