China Pledges Support To South Africa In Fighting Poverty

China on Monday pledged to help South Africa in fighting poverty and improve living conditions in the African nation.

This pledge was made in a joint statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa and Chinese President Xi Jinping during President Ramaphosa's State Visit to China. During the State Visit, China and South Africa agreed to continue working together to build a strong partnership with a shared future.

"China is committed to sharing with South Africa its experience in poverty alleviation and rural revitalization; in building poverty alleviation model villages and offering support for South Africa's coordinated urban and rural development," the statement mentioned, SA News reported.

It added, "To carry forward the friendship, consolidate mutual trust, expand cooperation and enhance coordination, the two Heads of State agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to an All-round Strategic Cooperative Partnership in a New Era, underpinned by strong political ties and focused on a prosperous future with balanced trade, and accelerated transformative economic growth."

China has shown strong support for South Africa's national unity and its chosen path for economic and social development. The Asian country also respects the South African government's efforts to protect its national interests and improve the lives of its people.

The two countries agreed to enhance cooperation by aligning China's Belt and Road Initiative with South Africa's Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. They will continue to implement their 10-Year Strategic Programme of Cooperation (2020-2029) to address key political and socio-economic issues.

Furthermore, both countries agreed to use platforms like the China-South Africa Joint Working Group (JWG) and the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETC) to boost economic and trade relations. This includes improving the trade structure, increasing market access, and promoting the export of value-added goods from South Africa.

During the State Visit, the two Presidents witnessed the signing of the below agreements in various areas:

• Cooperation on the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System
• Sustainable Housing and Human Settlements Development
• Strengthening Bilateral Trade Cooperation
• Cultural Heritage
• Prevention and Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease
• Inspection, Quarantine, and Sanitary Requirements for South African Dairy Products Exported to China
• Protocol on Greasy Wool

China is South Africa's largest trading partner globally, while South Africa is China's number one trading partner in Africa. Total bilateral trade grew from R614 billion in 2022 to R692 billion in 2023.

The two countries encouraged their business communities to invest more in each other's markets and expand manufacturing near sources of raw materials. This aims to facilitate technology transfer, skill development and job creation.