China and South African agreed on Tuesday to view and develop
bilateral ties from a strategic perspective and push forward their
strategic partnership based on equality, mutual benefit and common
development.
Visiting President Hu Jintao and his South African counterpart
Thabo Mbeki held talks in Pretoria on Tuesday afternoon, at which
they reached broad consensus on future development of bilateral
relations.
Hu said China firmly stood alongside the South African people
during their struggle against apartheid and that the Chinese-South
African ties have enjoyed fast, multi-facet and all-round growth
since the two countries established diplomatic ties 10 years
ago.
The two countries have had fruitful bilateral cooperation in
economy and trade, science and technology, education, culture,
tourism and justice, he noted.
Hu expressed China's appreciation for South Africa's adherence
to the one-China policy and its support for China's reunification
cause.
During the talks, Hu put forward a five-point proposal for
further promoting China-South Africa ties, including ways of
boosting political mutual trust, deepening economic and trade
cooperation, expanding the scope of bilateral cooperation,
increasing people-to-people contacts and intensifying multilateral
cooperation.
To build up political mutual trust, Hu suggested that the
leaders of the two countries keep frequent contacts and have
in-depth exchanges of views on major bilateral and global issues
through both bilateral and multilateral channels.
On economic and trade cooperation, Hu suggested that both sides
optimize trade structures and create an environment conducive to
the healthy growth in bilateral trade.
He also proposed to explore ways to expand cooperation in
vocational training, Chinese language teaching, infrastructure,
mining, energy, information technology and crackdown on crimes.
To boost people-to-people contacts, Hu announced that the
Chinese government will invite 500 young people from South Africa
and other African nations to visit China in the next three
years.
On international issues, Hu proposed that both countries enhance
multilateral cooperation and safeguard common interests and said
bilateral cooperation should also be enhanced within the framework
of the UN and other multilateral organizations.
Expressing his appreciation for the endeavors made by South
Africa to resolve internal conflicts in Africa, Hu said China will
continue to support and participate in peacekeeping operations in
the region.
For his part, Mbeki said South Africa and China have established
a solid friendly and cooperative relationship and both countries
share the resolve to enhance their bilateral strategic
partnership.
Through concerted efforts of both sides, the South
African-Chinese relationship will be further consolidated and
developed, Mbeki noted, adding that he fully agreed with Hu's
proposals to advance the strategic partnership between the two
countries.
Economically, China is one of South Africa's most important
partners; politically, the consultation and cooperation with China
is an asset to South Africa in meeting various challenges, he
stressed.
China's attention to and cooperation with Africa is of great
significance for the rejuvenation of the African continent, he
said.
Mbeki hoped that both sides will deepen cooperation in the areas
of trade, investment, technology, agriculture and natural
resources, and increase people-to-people contacts.
He applauded China's determination and actions to implement
measures adopted at the Beijing Summit of the Forum of China-Africa
Cooperation last November, saying the African people have been
encouraged by China's follow-up moves.
After the talks, Hu and Mbeki witnessed the signing of five
documents on bilateral cooperation in economy and technology, plant
quarantine and other fields.
Hu arrived in Pretoria earlier Tuesday from the Namibian capital
of Windhoek for a three-day state visit to South Africa.
South Africa is the sixth leg of Hu's current eight-nation
African tour that has already taken him to Cameroon, Liberia,
Sudan, Zambia and Namibia. Hu will also travel to Mozambique and
Seychelles.
(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2007)
