Chen Xiaodong
ON THE afternoon of November 15, local time, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Bali Summit, the first physical meeting between the two heads of state in three years since the outbreak of Covid-19.
President Xi noted that, “China and South Africa enjoy a special friendship of ‘comradeship plus brotherhood’. Both being major developing countries, China and South Africa firmly uphold international fairness and justice and the common interests of developing countries”.
The two heads of state had an in-depth exchange of views and reached a broad consensus on the development of bilateral relations and co-operation in various fields, as well as regional and international issues of common concern, charting the course for the development of China-South Africa relations in the post-epidemic era and exerting far-reaching influence on the solidarity and co-operation between China and Africa and the rest of the developing countries.
Taking the helm and building new heights of strategic mutual trust, President Xi's presence at the G20 Bali Summit is the first overseas visit by China's top leader since the 20th CPC National Congress.The successful meeting between the two heads of state in the midst of their respective busy schedules fully reflects their profound personal friendship and the high level of China-South Africa comprehensive strategic partnership.
President Xi noted that China has all along viewed its relations with South Africa from a strategic height, and stands ready to consolidate political mutual trust and promote even greater development of the comprehensive strategic partnership with South Africa. President Xi gave an outline on the 20th CPC National Congress and its major results.
He said that the Communist Party of China (CPC) would continue to lead the Chinese people in advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernisation, and would continue to firmly pursue an independent foreign policy of peace and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
President Ramaphosa once again extended congratulations to President Xi on his re-election as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, and on the full success of the 20th CPC National Congress. He said that South Africa finds in China an important strategic partner, and that South Africa will continue to firmly support the one-China principle without doubt. South Africa is ready to actively participate in Belt and Road co-operation, and hopes to enhance co-ordination and co-operation with China under the BRICS and other multilateral frameworks.
This year, President Xi and President Ramaphosa have spoken on the phone and exchanged letters several times. They have jointly attended several important international events such as the BRICS Summit and the High-level Dialogue on Global Development. Not long ago, President Ramaphosa, in his capacity as president of the ANC and president of the Republic of South Africa, wrote to President Xi three times to warmly congratulate him on the victory of the 20th CPC National Congress and his re-election as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, which fully reflects the special “comradeship plus brotherhood” relationship between the two parties and two countries.
The meeting between the two heads of state this time has brought bilateral relations to a climax this year, and raised the strategic mutual trust between China and South Africa to a new height. Next year, China and South Africa will celebrate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and South Africa will host the BRICS Summit.
The China-South Africa comprehensive strategic partnership is facing new historical opportunities in the post-pandemic era. China looks forward to celebrating the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations with South Africa next year to create a warm atmosphere of friendship.
China will continue to work with South Africa to grant each other firm mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, strengthen exchanges and mutual learning of experience in governance, and support South Africa in exploring a modernisation path that is in line with its national conditions. China will give full support to the work of South Africa as the BRICS Chair next year, will actively participate in the series of activities under the framework of BRICS, and add more substance to the BRICS mechanism and BRICS co-operation in various fields, so as to embark on a new journey of building a China-South Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
Drawing a new blueprint for China-South Africa friendship for mutual benefit, President Xi stressed that China will continue to pursue peaceful development, open development and win-win development, which will bring more opportunities for all countries in the world, including South Africa. President Ramaphosa said that South Africa hoped to learn from China’s experience in green development and energy transition, and would open its door to welcome Chinese companies for investment and co-operation. The meeting between the two heads of state has identified the key areas and paths of practical co-operation between China and South Africa going forward, depicting a bright future for mutual benefit and a win-win situation.
Economic and trade co-operation has always been the highlight of China-South Africa co-operation. In recent years, the two countries have entered the “fast lane” of economic and trade co-operation. From January to October this year, the total trade volume between China and South Africa increased by 8.7% year-on-year against headwinds, reaching $48.59 billion. China has been South Africa's largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years. At the 5th China International Import Expo held recently, South Africa's Standard Bank and some other large enterprises took the lead in organising exhibition activities, in which Kimberly Diamond Company, Constantia Winery, Aspen Pharmacare and other well-known companies took part, with an intended turnover of nearly $100 million, a significant increase of 254% over last year. Chinese enterprises have invested more than $25bn and created 400 000 jobs in South Africa, and will offer another 20 000 jobs within three years.
Headway has been made in important co-operation on projects such as the feasibility study of the small harbour project, a pilot village for co-operation on poverty reduction in South Africa, a project for comprehensive utilisation of water resources in the Mzimvubu River, etc.
Going forward, China and South Africa will forge stronger synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the South African Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan to foster more drivers of mutually beneficial co-operation, boost South Africa's economic growth and improve people's livelihoods.
China is committed to importing $100bn worth of products from South Africa within three years, and will import more high-quality products from South Africa, including avocados. We will encourage more Chinese companies to participate in the fifth South African Investment Conference (SAIC) next year and continue to expand investment co-operation with South Africa. We will actively explore co-operation in such advantageous areas as infrastructure, economy, trade and investment, and expand co-operation in such emerging areas as 5G, new energy and e-commerce to bring more benefits to local people.
We should make good use of the high-level people-to-people exchange mechanism, expand co-operation in culture, education, science and technology, health, youth and women, and consolidate public support for friendship between our two countries.
Opening up new horizons for co-operation among developing countries based on the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity, and good faith, President Xi noted that both being major developing countries, China and South Africa support each other with mutual understanding, and jointly safeguard international fairness and justice and the common interests of developing countries.
President Ramaphosa thanked China for its precious help to South Africa and other Africans countries on the Covid-19 response and being among the first to help African countries ease the debt problem. He said that South Africa hoped to enhance co-ordination and co-operation with China under the BRICS and other multilateral frameworks.
Today, our world, our times, and history are changing in ways like never before. Hegemonic, high-handed and bullying acts of using strength to intimidate the weak, taking from others by force and subterfuge, and playing zero-sum games are exerting grave harm against developing countries. Against this background, the meeting between the two heads of state is of great significance to guiding solidarity and co-operation among developing countries, especially China-Africa co-operation.
China firmly supports and helps other developing countries to speed up development. Guided by the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity, and good faith and with a commitment to the greater good and shared interests, China endeavours to strengthen solidarity and co-operation with other developing countries, including African countries.
China firmly supports African countries in seeking strength through unity and resolving African issues in the African way, and opposes external interference in African countries' internal affairs. The AU's participation in the G20 on behalf of Africa, a continent with the largest concentration of developing countries, will help increase the representation of developing countries.
China firmly supports the AU's membership in the G20. China will continue to take Africa's needs as the starting point for its co-operation with Africa. We will continue our high-quality Belt and Road co-operation, ensure that the Focac’s nine programmes take root and bear fruit in Africa, and promote the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future to deliver more benefits to the Chinese and African people.
Working together to inject new impetus into global governance In the world as it is today, the deficit in peace, development, security, and governance is growing. The world has once again reached a crossroads in history. As China is the largest developing country and South Africa is the only African member of the G20, it is an important responsibility of both countries to ensure that the G20 stay committed to its original mission and maintain the right direction of global economic governance.
The theme of this year's summit is “Recover Together, Recover Stronger”. In the face of the turbulent and changing world situation, China has always provided a strong and lasting impetus for the world economic recovery with high-quality development and high-level opening up, hedged the uncertainty of the international situation with a high degree of continuity and stability of its internal and external policies, and contributed to making global governance more just and equitable through practising true multilateralism.
China will continue to strengthen co-ordination with South Africa within the G20, the UN and other multilateral frameworks, promote the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom for all mankind. We will pursue dialogue and inclusiveness over confrontation and exclusion, strengthen communication and co-operation on major international issues such as maintaining world peace and stability, strengthening macroeconomic policy co-ordination, ensuring food and energy security and properly addressing climate change.
We will strive to act on the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and continue to make positive contributions to building a new international order that is just and reasonable.
Looking back, China-South Africa friendship has borne abundant fruit; looking forward, China-South Africa co-operation has broad prospects. Under the guidance of President Xi and President Ramaphosa, let us take our common interests as the foundation and the common dream as the shore, follow the trend of the times, create a better world in which a just cause is pursued for the common good, and contribute to building a China-South Africa and China-Africa community with a shared future in a new era, to bring new hope and glory to the cause of human progress.
Chen is the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to South Africa.