China, South Africa sign economic pacts

China and South Africa signed 11 agreements, including one on transportation, on Thursday in Beijing as top leaders of the world's second-largest economy and the African economic powerhouse laid the groundwork for cooperation for the next decade.

The memorandum on cooperation between CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive and Transnet, South Africa's state-owned freight transport and logistics company, came after the African country embarked on one of the world's biggest rail projects to overhaul its passenger trains.

The other agreements included a program for cooperation over the next 10 years, and to boost trade, investment and agriculture.