As part of continued efforts to better South African lives, China has pledged to help the country combat poverty, according to the presidency.
On the occasion of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State Visit to the Peoples Republic of China, he and Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a joint statement revealing their commitment.
“China is committed to sharing with South Africa its experience in poverty alleviation and rural revitalisation; in building poverty alleviation model villages and offering support for South Africa’s coordinated urban and rural development,” said the statement.
China said it continues to make efforts to enhance the lives of South Africans. During the State Visit, the two nations reaffirmed their commitment to working together to create a high-quality China-South Africa community with a common future.
“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 is South Africa’s greatest trading partner worldwide, while South Africa is China’s top trading partner in Africa. Total bilateral trade increased from R614 billion in 2022 to R692 billion by 2023.
“The two sides encouraged their respective business communities to enhance new two-way investments and increase their manufacturing bases within the proximity of the relevant source of raw materials to enable the transfer of skills technology and job creation,” the statement read.
IOL