CHINA and South Africa have agreed to work together to push bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level and build a high-level community with a shared future for the two countries.

President Xi Jinping held talks with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria, South Africa, on Tuesday. The two leaders exchanged views on the development of bilateral ties in the new era and international and regional issues of common concern.

A total of 26 cooperation agreements were signed between the two nations, as they pledged to bolster cooperation over the Belt and Road Initiative, innovation in science and technology, the blue, or marine, economy and direct investment.

During their talks, Xi made an appeal for both sides to remain strategic partners with a high level of mutual trust, saying that the nature of China-South Africa relations is that of comrades and brothers.

Both sides should enhance exchanges and cooperation in areas such as legislative bodies, political parties, the military, and local governments, and continue to support each other on issues involving core interests and major concerns, he said.

Ramaphosa described China as a sincere brother, friend and partner of his country, saying that China has provided valuable support to South Africa in the latter’s struggle for national independence and liberation as well as its national development. He also mentioned China’s timely support for his country during the COVID pandemic.

The visit coincides with the two countries’ 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties and marks Xi’s fourth trip to South Africa as Chinese President.

Dakota Legoete, a member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, told Xinhua that he expected the South Africa-China win-win cooperation in terms of “economic development, people-to-people exchanges, and inter-countries relations to be strengthened.”

As the first African country to sign the Belt and Road cooperation document with China, South Africa has been China’s biggest trading partner in Africa for 13 years in a row, as well as one of the African countries with the largest stock of Chinese investment, which has risen to US$10 billion.

More than 200 Chinese companies in South Africa have created over 400,000 local jobs and South African companies are also racing to invest in the Chinese market to seize its abundant business opportunities.(Xinhua, China Daily)