On March 26, 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with his South African counterpart, Jacob Zuma, in Pretoria. The two heads of state held in-depth discussions on China-South Africa relations from a strategic perspective of promoting China-Africa relations and pushing for solidarity and cooperation among developing countries and reached broad consensus.
Xi said China and South Africa, both major developing countries, have a similar history and are connected with fate and future, adding bilateral relationship carries increasing strategic significance and global influence. China takes its relationship with South Africa as a diplomatic priority and is ready to work with the country to build their ties into a role model both for the development of the new type of the China-Africa strategic partnership and for the solidarity and cooperation between large developing countries.
He urged both sides to deepen mutual trust, maintain high-level and inter-party exchanges and exchange governing experience. Both sides should also show mutual understanding and support on issues concerning each other's core and major interests and strengthen strategic cooperation on global and regional affairs so as to safeguard the common interests not only of themselves but of the broader developing world.
Xi said China is willing to promote bilateral cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefit and win-win results. China encourages its enterprises and financial institutions to invest in South Africa's priority areas, such as infrastructure, mining, energy and the auto industry. Both sides should guide and support the enterprises of the two countries to carry out cooperation on major projects.
Xi said the two sides should look to the future and strengthen personnel exchanges. Both sides agreed to designate 2014 as the "Year of South Africa" in China and 2015 as the "Year of China" in South Africa. Xi urged both sides to strive to ensure their success. China will set up its Chinese culture center in South Africa and promote college cooperation in running schools to train more successors of China-South Africa friendship.
Xi said that China has always deemed Africa as the "continent of hope". China supports South Africa's commitment to African countries' efforts in seeking strength through unity and solving the problems of Africa independently. South Africa is the African co-host of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). China is ready to work with South Africa to strengthen cooperation in African affairs and supports FOCAC's cooperation with the New Partnership for Africa's Development Plan (NEPAD). China is ready to promote Africa's infrastructure and integration building and participate in peace and security affairs in Africa in a constructive way in order to contribute to achieving lasting peace and development in Africa.
Xi pointed out that China supports South Africa in hosting the Fifth BRICS Summit and the BRICS leaders-Africa Dialogue Forum and is ready to work with the country to strengthen the cooperation among the BRICS countries and push for their cooperation with Africa.
For his part, Zuma said it was a great honor to his country that President Xi chose South Africa to be one of the countries he would visit on his maiden overseas tour, which fully shows the high level of South Africa-China relations. South Africa attaches strategic importance to its solidarity and cooperation with China, and is willing to work with China to achieve common development and pursue a more just and reasonable international order.
Zuma congratulated China on the success of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), expressing the belief that under the leadership of the CPC, China will surely be able to make itself strong and prosperous. China's development sets an example for South Africa and will encourage the South African side to make the country better. The African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa hopes to continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the CPC in party building and other aspects.
Zuma said South Africa values China's role as its largest trading partner and hopes to attract more Chinese enterprises to invest in his country by setting up a ministerial-level joint working group. He urged both sides to advance cooperation projects in infrastructure construction and other fields and help achieve a balanced growth of bilateral trade. Zuma thanked China for its assistance to his country in agriculture, education, health and personnel training, which helped to reduce poverty, increase employment and improve the level of modernization in South Africa. He hoped to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries through the "Year of South Africa" in China and the "Year of China" in South Africa.
South Africa is willing to work with China to promote the building of FOCAC, boost the Africa-China cooperation and enhance Africa's development, said Zuma, adding that his country is also ready to step up coordination with China under BRICS, G20 and other multilateral frameworks to advance the democratization of international relations.
Following the talks, the two heads of state attended the signing ceremony of a number of cooperation documents concerning trade, financial investment, energy and mining, culture, education and infrastructure construction.
Prior to the talks, Zuma held a grand welcome ceremony for Xi.
The sun was shining brightly with cool breeze on the square of the Union Buildings, where the national flags of China and South Africa could be seen flying in the wind and the red carpet and green lawns presented a warm and festive atmosphere. As Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan arrived at the Union Buildings, they were warmly greeted by President Zuma and his wife and the military band played the music. The two heads of state mounted to the inspection platform and the military band played the national anthems of the two countries and fired 21 gun salutes. Xi inspected the guards of honor. Zuma afterwards introduced to Xi Vice President Petrus Kgalema Motlanthe and several government ministers.
Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu and Yang Jiechi attended the above activities.