Xi, Ramaphosa agree to bolster partnership

China hopes to work closely with South Africa to maintain and develop their comprehensive strategic partnership, President Xi Jinping said when meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the 11th BRICS Summit in Brasilia on Thursday.

As major developing countries and emerging economies, both China and South Africa face the important tasks of promoting domestic economic growth and improving their people's lives, firmly maintaining multilateralism and opposing unilateralism and bullying, Xi said.

China and South Africa should maintain strategic communication and strengthen interparty exchanges and the sharing of governance experience, he said. They should understand and support each other over issues related to their core interests and major concerns, Xi said.

They also should enhance the alignment of their development strategies and expand bilateral trade and investment, cooperation in production capacity and infrastructure as well as building the Belt and Road together, he added.

China hopes to work with South Africa to strengthen solidarity among BRICS countries, promote the construction of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and maintain close contact over major international and regional issues to safeguard international equality and justice, Xi said.

Ramaphosa said South Africa highly praises the great accomplishments the Chinese people have achieved under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and firmly supports China's development. It opposes unilateral bullying against China and unjust treatment of Chinese companies and supports China in maintaining its sovereignty and legitimate interests, he said.

South Africa hopes to expand cooperation with China in trade, infrastructure and artificial intelligence, and welcomes more Chinese investment, Ramaphosa added.

South Africa will chair the African Union next year. Ramaphosa said his country hopes to work with China to help Africa achieve peace and security and prepare for the new industrial revolution.

The nation also hopes to boost communication with China on issues such as reform of the World Trade Organization to protect developing countries' interests, he said.