South Africa “attaches great value” to its relations with China, Public Works Minister, Nkosinathi Nhleko, said in his welcome remarks to the new Chinese ambassador, Lin Songtian.
Nhleko’s comments were part of his congratulatory message to China delivered at the Chinese embassy’s 68th national day celebration reception held in Pretoria on Tuesday.
“Our bilateral relations have always been friendly and both nations continue to strengthen these bonds. Since the establishment of bilateral ties, political, economic, trade and other cooperation fields have continued to grow, thus bringing our relations to new heights,” said Nhleko.
He said trade volume between South Africa and China for 2016 was more than R300 billion. Earlier this month South Africa became the first African country to export beef to China when Karan Beef became a supplier of frozen beef to that country.
Welcoming newly appointed Chinese ambassador, Songtian, Nhleko described him as “an old friend of South Africa”. The SA public works minister also congratulated China for successfully hosting the 9th BRICS Summit in Xiamen.
Songtian said guided by the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation, China remained committed to deepening BRICS cooperation for a more fair, just and equitable global governance regime.
He said China was ready to work with all parties to support the efforts of South Africa to successfully host the 10th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg, and jointly usher BRICS cooperation into a brighter future.
Ambassador Songtian said the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) chaired by President Xi Jinping and President Jacob Zuma in December 2015 had opened a new era of China-Africa win-win cooperation for common development.
“According to incomplete statistics, since the Summit, 606 projects have been completed, or are under construction, or have been signed to be completed in Africa, with a total amount of over US$108 billion of Chinese investment or loans.”
“South Africa has become China’s biggest trading partner and the most important destination for investment and tourism in Africa.”
He said in the first half of 2017 China-South Africa bilateral trade had increased by 28.7% to US$19.5 billion while Chinese investment in South Africa had exceeded US$15 billion,creating numerous jobs for local youth.
