China pledges firm support to African development

XIAMEN, Sept. 4 — Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his
South African counterpart Jacob Zuma on Monday, vowing to deepen
cooperation with South Africa and support peace and development in Africa.

Zuma is in the southeastern Chinese coastal city of Xiamen for the ninth
BRICS summit and the Dialogue of Emerging Market and Developing Countries
from Sunday to Tuesday.Xi said the China-South Africa relationship is “at
its best in history.” He also noted the strong development momentum in the
comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides in recent
years.He said China is ready to strengthen coordination with South Africa
and expand the partnership with more achievements in cooperation to pursue
common development.”China intends to work with South Africa to implement
the Belt and Road Initiative and the outcomes of the Johannesburg summit of
the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and to deepen cooperation in
an all-round way and advance bilateral relations to a new level,” Xi
said.He called for mutual understanding and support on core interests and
major concerns, as well as consolidation of political trust.

Xi said that stronger cooperation was needed in various sectors, including
marine economy, industrial production, culture, science and technology,
health care and tourism.People-to-people exchanges and celebrations should
be organized to mark the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between
China and South Africa next year, he said.Xi also called for more
coordination in international and regional organizations, including BRICS,
the G20, the United Nations and the African Union.”China and South Africa
have maintained close communication and cooperation within the BRICS
framework, and China will work closely with South Africa which will hold
the presidency of the bloc next year,” Xi said.

Xi said China and Africa are a community of shared future and common
interests, which have gone through thick and thin together.”Regardless of
changes in the international situation, China will unswervingly work with
Africa for win-win cooperation and common development, and resolutely
support peace and development in Africa,” Xi said. “China supports Africa’s
capacity building in peace-keeping.”Xi said that China intends to better
combine the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Africa cooperation plans
set forth at the FOCAC Johannesburg summit with the AU’s Agenda 2063.Zuma
said his country stands ready to deepen cooperation with China.South Africa
and China will support each other in hosting the BRICS summit this year and
next year, Zuma said, adding that the South Africa-China comprehensive
strategic partnership is robust and full of vitality.He said that the two
countries had seen positive outcomes in cooperation in economic, trade,
investment, infrastructure and cultural areas, and maintained close
coordination on multilateral issues. – XINHUA