South Africa, China pledge to step up all-around cooperation

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-17 13:44

JOHANNESBURG -- South Africa accords high priority to developing all-around cooperation and exchanges with China and is willing to make coordinated efforts with the Chinese side to solve international and regional issues, South African President Kgalema Motlanthe said Friday.

Motlanthe made the remarks during a meeting with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in Pretoria.

He promised to further push forward the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries and called for joint action in dealing with the global financial crisis.

For his part, Yang said China and South Africa have witnessed rapid development of their strategic cooperative partnership in recent years. Furthering their relationship is in line with the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, he added.

The foreign minister said China is willing to step up exchanges and coordination with South Africa on international and regional issues, and promote mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation.

He also called on the two countries to make joint efforts in dealing with the financial crisis and contribute to global economic stability.

On Friday, Yang held talks with South African Foreign Minister Dlamini Zuma in Cape Town to exchange views on international and regional issues of common concern.

South Africa is the last leg of Yang's four-nation African tour, which has also taken him to Uganda, Rwanda and Malawi.