Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, Chen Xiaodong on Tuesday hosted several South African Cabinet ministers, Chinese delegates, members of academia, and senior African National Congress leaders at an event celebrating 25 years of unprecedented diplomatic relations between Pretoria and Beijing.
“As we together stand at the starting point of the next 25 years of China-South Africa relations, China will work with South Africa to strengthen dialogue, exchanges, and cooperation, continue to foster new golden highlights and fruits of this Golden Era of China-South Africa relations, and build a high-level China-South Africa community with a shared future, so as to deliver more benefits to our two countries and peoples,” Chen said in his keynote address.
“Please join me in a toast: To friendship between the peoples of China and South Africa! To a more magnificent future for China-South Africa relations! Cheers!”
The event was attended by numerous delegates, including former president Kgalema Motlanthe and wife Gugu; Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor; Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana; Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and People with Disabilities, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma; Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu; and ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.
Regarding buoyant trade and economic relations, Chen said 25 years ago, bilateral trade volumes between China and South Africa were only around $1.6 billion.
“By 2022, our trade volume grew by almost 35 times to $57 billion, which is the largest bilateral trade relationship for South Africa and also accounts for one-fourth of China-Africa trade. South Africa is exporting more quality products to China. South African beef, citrus, wine, oysters, rooibos tea, and many other products are now very popular among Chinese consumers,” he said.
“Chinese enterprises have invested over $25 billion in South Africa, which is over 100 times more than 1998, and have also created more than 400,000 local jobs.”
The Chinese diplomat said that even though China and South Africa are geographically far apart, the two nations enjoy a long history of friendly exchanges. He also highlighted that the two heads of State - President Xi Jinping and President Cyril Ramaphosa, enjoy frequent exchanges.
“The Chinese language has been included into South Africa's national education system. Chinese culture and language have become more and more popular in South Africa. At the same time, we are happy to see thousands of South Africans teaching English in China. Thousands of South African students are also studying in China,” said Chen.
He also said China applauds South Africa for its commitment to the one-China policy.
In August this year, President Xi Jinping paid his fourth “successful State Visit” in 10 years to South Africa.
“Through the State Visit, President Xi Jinping and President Ramaphosa together ushered China-South Africa relations into the Golden Era,” said Chen.
Gazing into the future, Chen said Beijing is ready to expand and deepen cooperation with South Africa in areas such as trade and investment, energy and minerals, infrastructure, new energy, and agriculture.
“China is ready to share the huge market of the 1.4 billion Chinese people with South Africa. More South African high-quality products are welcome to enter the Chinese market. We will expand cooperation with the South African side in electricity and energy, including to accelerate the delivery of emergency electricity equipment,” he said.
To strengthen the people-to-people bond, Chen said Beijing is eager to boost exchanges and cooperation with Pretoria in culture, education, science and technology, tourism, youth, women, think-tanks, media, and localities.
China is the world's largest source country for outbound tourism.
“Before Covid-19, each year, Chinese people would make about 150 million outbound trips. We look forward to the South African side making visa facilitation arrangements for Chinese nationals.
“That will attract more Chinese tourists and business people to visit the Rainbow Nation and therefore boost our people-to-people exchanges and practical cooperation. We also have our arms wide open to warmly welcome more South African friends to visit China,” said Chen.
On behalf of the government of South Africa, Dr Pandor recounted the several milestones achieved since the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of South Africa and the People’s Republic of China on January 1, 1998.
“Over the years, China and South Africa have deepened cooperation in political, multilateral, economic, and people-to-people spheres as pillars that underpin our relations. The relationship between both countries is one of strategic partnership underlined by a common vision of mutually beneficial socio-economic growth and development for our people, respective regions, and the world,” she said.
Pandor said the bilateral relationship has evolved and transitioned from the Pretoria Declaration in 2000 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership following the signing of the Beijing Declaration in 2010.
The China-South Africa partnership is managed through various structured bilateral mechanisms within the framework of the Ten-Year Strategic Programme of Cooperation (2022–2029), which spans diverse areas of technical cooperation, including trade, investment and tourism promotion, education and training, science, and technology, as well as infrastructure development.
“A lot has been achieved between South Africa and China. However, this year has been eventful with exchanges of high-level engagements from government and Parliament to business delegations as we celebrate this important milestone in our diplomatic ties.
“The recent fourth State Visit to South Africa by President Xi Jinping provided an overwhelming boost to our relations, which consequently saw the signing of eleven bilateral agreements in various fields, including a Letter of Intent on strengthening cooperation and promoting synergy between our two countries’ developmental plans, that is, the Belt Road Initiative (BRI) and the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan,” said Pandor.
She recounted that South Africa hosted a successful 15th BRICS Summit, followed by the China-Africa Leaders' Roundtable Dialogue co-hosted by President Ramaphosa and President Xi Jinping in August 2023.
“These events illustrate our focus on bilateral socio-economic development, China-Africa ties, and our international cooperation,” said Pandor.
“You will agree that there is substantial context for today’s celebrations.
“This partnership, over the past 25 years, has shown that our strong bonds of friendship and solidarity have led to constant expansion in our areas of bilateral cooperation, and our commitment to socio-economic growth and development transcends to the multilateral sphere, where both our countries share similar objectives towards promoting an international system which is free and fair and where the interests of developing countries are well represented and considered,” she said.
The minister said South Africa hopes that Beijing and Pretoria will continue to expand cooperation in terms of the various Forum of China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) infrastructure projects in South Africa through China’s support, such as the development of the small harbours project.
“Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, please join me now in proposing a toast to the good health and prosperity of President Xi Jinping, to the special bonds of friendship between our two heads of State, the people of South Africa and China, and to another vibrant 25 years of relations between our two countries,” Pandor concluded, raising her glass.
IOL