As the G20 Summit kicks off in Johannesburg over the weekend, the Chinese premier Li Qiang sat down with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to affirm a shared vision for deeper political trust and expanded cooperation. The meeting, held on Friday ahead of the leaders’ sessions, set the tone for what both sides describe as an all-round strategic cooperative partnership in the new era.
Echoing warm sentiments from Chinese President Xi Jinping, Li Qiang highlighted decades of “close brotherhood” between the two nations. He called for continued mutual support on core interests and flagged key areas for collaboration, including aligning China’s 15th Five-Year Plan with South Africa’s new 10-point economic action plan. Early adoption of zero-tariff treatment and tighter development strategy alignment could accelerate growth in both economies, he noted.
Li outlined a concrete roadmap: leverage complementary strengths in mining and infrastructure; forge new highlights in the automotive sector; and tap into emerging fields such as new energy and artificial intelligence. He also proposed joint innovation in satellite navigation systems and shared laboratory networks to spur breakthroughs in science and technology.
Beyond the economy, the two premiers stressed social impact. Li urged exchanges on poverty reduction and rural revitalization, as well as cooperation in public health, culture, education and youth development. He reaffirmed the joint Africa modernization initiative, calling on the international community to boost investment across the continent.
On the multilateral front, Li said China stands ready to coordinate with South Africa within BRICS and the G20, champion Xi’s four global initiatives, defend the multilateral trading system and push for global governance reform that reflects the voices of developing countries.
President Ramaphosa conveyed his best wishes to Xi Jinping and celebrated the “historic new height” their consensus has achieved. He reiterated South Africa’s adherence to the one-China policy, reaffirming that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and promised ongoing support on each other’s major concerns.
Ramaphosa thanked China for its backing of South Africa’s economic and social development, and expressed eagerness to deepen collaboration in trade, investment, mining, industry, science and technology, energy, infrastructure, public health and poverty alleviation. He assured a safe environment for Chinese enterprises in South Africa and pledged to work with other African nations to maximize China’s favorable policies and strengthen Africa-China ties.
As the G20 Summit unfolds, both sides plan to intensify communication in the United Nations and other platforms to uphold multilateralism and deliver concrete outcomes for global stability and shared prosperity.
Reference(s):
China ready to deepen political trust with South Africa: Premier Li
cgtn.com
