Chinese Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao met Monday in Rome with South African President Thabo Mbeki, both in Rome attending the World Food Summit hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) under the United Nations (UN).
Acclaiming Mbeki's huge efforts in promoting the China-South African friendly cooperative ties, Wen said China is satisfied with the fruitful achievements in realizing comprehensive and rapid expansion of bilateral relationship.
Wen recalled Chinese President Jiang Zemin's state visit to South Africa in April 2000 and Mbeki's China tour last December, noting that Jiang's tour has opened a new chapter and laid solid foundation for the bilateral ties.
The committee of bilateral relations set up by Jiang and Mbeki manifests that the bilateral dialogue and cooperation mechanism has entered a new stage, Wen stressed.
China appreciates Mbeki's stance of attaching importance to Sino-South African relations and his adherence to the one-China policy, and China supports "the New Partnership for Africa's Development" initiated by Mebki, he said.
He noted that China supports South Africa's active role in African and international affairs.
On the World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in South Africa, Wen said the summit is an important meeting held by the UN this year and China will send a high-level delegation to the summit.
He also expressed his appreciation of the preparations done by South Africa, believing the conference would turn out to be a big success thanks to the concerted efforts by all countries concerned.
For his part, Mbeki said South Africa values its ties with China very much and it is satisfied with the development of bilateral relations.
He appreciated China's efforts in helping African countries develop their economy, adding that there are still more things to do in order to promote the South Africa-China and Africa-China relationship.
(People's Daily June 11, 2002)
