S. Africa to become a strategic partner
The signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between China and South Africa is expected during South Africa President Jacob Zuma's visit to China in a few months time, according to Maite Emily Nkoana-Mashabane, the visiting Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa.
She was speaking to reporters yesterday in Beijing after meetings with her Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and Vice-President Xi Jinping, during which both sides vowed to further strengthen their strategic partnership.
Xi said China, which is South Africa's biggest trade partner, is willing to work closely with South Africa to deepen bilateral relations between the two developing countries, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Xi also said that the two countries would implement the eight measures put forward by the Chinese government at the ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Egypt late November, according to Xinhua.
The FOCAC is an important platform for collective dialogue with mechanisms for promoting effective and pragmatic China-Africa cooperation.
Nkoana-Mashabane said, cooperation between South Africa and China is based on mutually beneficial approaches and partnership, and such partnership for growth and development is the basis for the two nations' comprehensive strategic partnership,
Responding to western countries' criticism of China's aid to Africa, Nkoana-Mashabane stressed that South Africa only "focuses on the positive" in its relations with China.
"We don't listen to the negativeWe are very clear with what we do with China. And we are very clear with what we do with the western countries. We focus on the positive." Nkoana-Mashabane said.
She said that South Africa welcomes more Chinese investment and pledges more support to Chinese companies investing in the country.
Top priority for cooperation is still transport infrastructure development Nkoana-Mashabane said.
With China's help she expects more highways to be built that will eventually connect the whole continent of Africa.
Air links between African countries is another area that needs further development, Nkoana-Mashabane said. Adding she hoped one day that Africans won't have to fly to Europe or Dubai or other countries for a transfer just to fly to their nearest neighbor.
It's Nkoana-Mashabane's first official visit to China after taking the post last May.
(China Daily 02/26/2010 page11)
