Tian Xuejun
At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President Jacob Zuma will pay a state visit to China. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of the new South Africa. At this memorable moment, it is of special significance for Zuma to pay his fourth visit to China during his tenure.
Looking back in the past, since the new democracy, particularly since the establishment of diplomatic ties 16 years ago, China-South Africa relations have realised leapfrog development and reached an unprecedented new height.
Geographical distance will never separate those who share the same goals and ideals. China and South Africa, though oceans apart, enjoy a profound and long-standing friendship. As developing countries and emerging market economies with same or similar outlooks on development, security and world order, China and South Africa are good friends, good brothers and good partners. Common strategic goals and broad strategic consensus have brought the two countries closer together and strengthened the bond of co-operation.
With the personal care and strong support of our top leaders, the China-South Africa relationship has experienced “triple-jump” development – from partnership, strategic partnership to comprehensive strategic partnership.
During Xi’s state visit to South Africa last year, the two leaders agreed to make China-South Africa relations a strategic pillar and priority area of each country’s foreign policies, thus adding new dimensions and substance to the bilateral relations.
For the countries’ relations, political trust is the prerequisite and practical co-operation is the foundation. Since Zuma came into office in 2009, the practical co-operation in various fields between China and South Africa has entered a fast-track of development.
Two-way trade doubled in five years, increasing from $16.1 billion in 2009 to $65.1bn last year. China has become South Africa’s largest trading partner, export market and source of import, and South Africa has become China’s largest trading partner in Africa. By the end of last year, the total investment of China in South Africa had reached $11bn.
When the China FAW Coega Assembly Plant was put into operation in South Africa in July, Zuma attended the opening ceremony and cut the ribbon for the first assembled vehicle. He applauded the occasion as a historic moment with milestone significance, and said that the project would help South Africa achieve its goal of economic growth.
Despite the geographical distance, our friendship continues to grow, for our people have long since built bridges of friendship between us. And today, South Africa has established more sister-city relationships with China and more Confucius institutes than any other African country. It is also the most popular destination of Chinese tourists and overseas students in Africa.
On the eve of the Chinese New Year this year, Zuma issued a congratulatory message to extend festival greetings and best wishes to the Chinese people in South Africa and across the world. The “Happy Chinese New Year” Chinese culture fair, which has been held for six consecutive years, becomes a big cultural event in South Africa.
The “Year of South Africa”, celebrated this year in China with dozens of wonderful activities, has enhanced Chinese people’s understanding of and love for South Africa. And Zuma’s visit will mark a successful conclusion of the “Year of South Africa” activities.
With growing global influence and strategic significance, the China-South Africa relationship has gone far beyond its bilateral dimension.
South Africa has all along firmly championed China-Africa friendship, shaped China-Africa co-operation and safeguarded the interests of the two countries. They have engaged in close co-ordination and effective co-operation in international organisations and multilateral mechanisms such as the UN, G20, Brics and the Basic countries.
During their summit in Brazil this year, leaders from Brics countries announced the establishment of the New Brics Development Bank and its African Regional Centre. This will provide a larger platform for China-South Africa co-operation under the Brics framework.
Looking ahead, China-South Africa relations are standing at a new historic starting point, blessed with important opportunities and a promising future. Both China and South Africa are at the crucial stage of steady development, transformation and upgrading.
China has put forward the “two centenary goals”, namely, to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China and to turn China into a socialist modern country that is strong, prosperous, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious, by the centenary of the People’s Republic of China, and has formulated ambitious blueprints for comprehensively deepening reform and promoting the rule of law.
South Africa has also drawn up its National Development Plan for the next 20 years and is accelerating social and economic transformation. The two countries have a lot in common in development goals, reform tasks and ideas on governance.
There is a stronger desire, broader space and greater potential for co-operation between the two countries. During Zuma’s visit to China, our leaders will chart the course for the future of China-South Africa relations from a strategic perspective, articulating the framework, direction and blueprint for the sound and sustainable development of the relationship.
The two sides will have in-depth discussions on co-operation in key areas, and are expected to reach a number of important consensus and outcomes.
As the New Year draws near, China-South Africa relations will open a new chapter. The year 2015 will definitely be a splendid year for the growth of China-South Africa relations. The “Year of China” will, for the first time, be celebrated in South Africa. This will be an unprecedented endeavour not only in the history of China-South Africa relations, but also in the history of China-Africa relations.
Meanwhile, as the co-chair of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation, South Africa will host its sixth Ministerial Conference.
I am confident that next year and in the years to come, building on Zuma’s visit to China, our bilateral relations will continue to grow at an accelerated pace and our co-operation on all fronts will yield more fruitful results.
In closing, I wish President Zuma’s full success on his visit.
l Xuejun is the Chinese Ambassador to South Africa.