China, South Africa pledge to tap cooperation potential, deliver tangible outcomes

China and South Africa have pledged to further unlock cooperation potential and ensure the delivery of concrete outcomes, following high-level talks in Cape Town on Friday.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with South Africa's Deputy President Paul Mashatile and co-chaired the ninth plenary session of the China-South Africa Bi-National Commission.

Han said China-South Africa relations are rooted in the shared history of resisting colonial oppression and have grown through joint efforts to pursue development and better livelihoods. He noted that the long-standing friendship reflects the aspirations of both leaders and peoples, and that bilateral ties have entered a "golden era," evolving into an all-round strategic cooperative partnership in the new era.

He added that as major developing countries and key members of the Global South, China and South Africa share broad common interests and significant cooperation potential, with their relationship increasingly demonstrating global and strategic significance beyond the bilateral scope.

Han pointed out that, since the eighth plenary session of the China-South Africa Bi-National Commission, bilateral cooperation across various fields has made solid progress and yielded fruitful results.

He noted that the current session, focused on implementing the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, featured extensive and in-depth exchanges on bilateral relations and cooperation in key areas, fully demonstrating the commission's important role in planning and coordinating bilateral cooperation.

Both sides agreed that under the new circumstances, the commission should play a stronger role by turning traditional friendship into sustained momentum for bilateral relations, translating political mutual trust into concrete actions to safeguard each other's core interests, converting practical and well-grounded strategic plans into tangible cooperation outcomes, and channeling shared aspirations for a better world into a strong force for building a more just and equitable international order, according to Han.

The vice Chinese president called on competent authorities in various sectors to strengthen coordination, identify priority projects and implementation steps for the next stage at an early date, and strive for more concrete results.

Han also said both sides should carry forward the fine tradition of mutual support, enhance communication and coordinate positions on issues concerning each other's core interests as well as international and regional hotspot issues, and maintain exchanges and cooperation at all levels and across sectors.

He also called for making full use of opportunities brought by zero-tariff policies and for reaching agreement on early harvest arrangements under a joint economic partnership at an early date.

Efforts should also be made to strengthen cooperation in key areas such as infrastructure, resources and energy, to expand collaboration in science and technology, and enhance people-to-people connectivity, Han added.

Noting this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African nations, Han urged South Africa, as a key member of China-Africa cooperation family, to work together with China to ensure that the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of FOCAC deliver greater benefits to the African people and contribute to a new chapter in building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.

Mashatile said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 28 years ago, bilateral relations between China and South Africa have continued to expand in both depth and breadth.

South Africa stands ready to work with China to fully leverage the role of the bilateral commission in guiding and coordinating ties, to implement strategic cooperation plans, explore cooperation potential, tap cooperation potential and advance modernization jointly, he added.

South Africa appreciates China's constructive role in promoting global peace, security and development, supports the global governance initiatives proposed by the Chinese president, and is willing to work hand-in-hand with China in multilateral mechanisms to jointly uphold multilateralism, Mashatile added.