SA, China to hold talks

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Pretoria - Bilateral relations between South Africa and China will come under the spotlight today when International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane hosts her counterpart Wang Yi in Pretoria.

The meeting between the two Ministers is expected to focus on the implementation of the 5-10 Year Strategic Framework on Cooperation, which was agreed to in Beijing in 2014 during President Jacob Zuma’s state visit.

The framework agreement further entrenches the implementation of agreements entered into since the conclusion of the Beijing Declaration in 2010 and it expands on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

The two Ministers will also look into the establishment of the BRICS New Development Bank to be headquartered in Shanghai, with its African Regional Centre in Johannesburg.

Other matters on the agenda include the preparations for the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), scheduled to take place in South Africa later this year. The two countries are also co-Chairs of FOCAC.

South Africa and China share a sound political and economic relationship and are working well as BRICS partners,  the BASIC Group on Climate Change (Brazil, SA, India and China), the Group of 77 + China, the G20, as well as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). 

China regards South Africa as a key partner in advancing its relations with the African continent with total two-way trade having reached R262 billion in 2014. - SAnews.gov.za