President Hu Jintao and South African President Thabo Mbeki on
Thursday agreed to continue to enrich the strategic partnership
between the two countries.
Hu and Mbeki met on the sidelines of the outreach session of the
Group of Eight (G8) summit slated for Friday in Heiligendamm in
northern Germany.
China and South Africa are due to celebrate the 10th anniversary
of the establishment of diplomatic relations in January 2008. "We
hope to use this opportunity to further boost the relations," Hu
said.
Hu stressed that China has heeded trade issues that concern
South Africa and taken measures to increase imports from the
country.
China encourages and supports investment in South Africa by
Chinese enterprises and more cooperation on large-scale projects
between the two countries, Hu said.
China hopes a trade balance can be achieved through joint
efforts, he added.
South Africa is a major participant of the Forum on China-Africa
Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit, which convened in Beijing last
year.
The summit was very successful and China is willing to have more
discussions and close cooperation with African nations, including
South Africa, to implement the measures helpful to these countries,
Hu said.
China will also seek more coordination with South Africa at the
UN, the World Trade Organization and other multi-lateral
institutions to make joint contribution to maintain regional and
world peace and stability, safeguarding the lawful interests of
developing nations, Hu noted.
Expressing his appreciation over China's efforts to achieve
trade balance, Mbeki said his country will also take measures to
narrow the gap.
South Africa will further promote cooperation on large-scale
projects to enhance its trade and economic relations with China,
the president noted.
Speaking of the FOCAC summit in Beijing, Mbeki said that African
nations deemed the meeting very successful.
South Africa will work together with China to implement the
results of the meeting and push forward the Sino-African relations,
he added.
(Xinhua News Agency June 8, 2007)
