China, South Africa sign 13 cooperation agreements (Xinhua) Updated: 2006-06-22 06:37
China and South Africa Wednesday signed 13 agreements on cooperation in a
wide range of fields such as politics, economy, trade, national defense,
agriculture, technology and sciences.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao(L) and
South African president Thabo Mbeki sign an agreement to deepen the
strategic partenership between the Popular republic of China and the
Republic of South Africa at the South African parliament in Cape Town.
[AFP] | What most important is the pact on deepening strategic partnership between
the two developing giants which was signed by visiting Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao and South African President Thabo Mbeki.
The Chinese premier announced that China will give 20 million RMB (about 2.5
million U.S. dollars) assistance to South Africa in offering and training
various skills.
Wen Jiabao arrived in Cape Town on Wednesday afternoon for a two-day official
visit to the Republic of South Africa as the fifth leg of his seven-nation
Africa tour.
"I am visiting South Africa to strengthen China-South Africa friendship,
enhance political mutual trust, expand cooperation of mutual benefit and promote
common development," said the Chinese premier.
Reviewing the bilateral relations in the past eight years, he said in a press
conference, China is satisfied with the progress in various kinds of cooperation
with South Africa.
However, he said, it is just a start of 10,000 miles long march in such
bilateral relations, which are in the fundamental interest of peoples of the two
countries.
President Thabo Mbeki also expressed his satisfaction about South Africa's
relations with China, saying that "both governments are indeed committed to
cooperation in all fields."
Mbeki expressed his appreciation over the Chinese assistance and said "we can
meet our challenges" with the Chinese help.
Wen will also meet political figures on bilateral and international issues,
meet local entrepreneurs and attend a forum on Sino-South African trade and
investment on Thursday.
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