China and South Africa Wednesday signed 13 agreements on cooperation in a wide range of fields such as politics, economy, trade, national defense, agriculture, technology and sciences.

 

The most important is the pact on deepening strategic partnership between the two developing giants which was signed by visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and South African President Thabo Mbeki.

 

Wen announced that China will give 20 million yuan (about US$2.5 million) assistance to South Africa in offering and training various skills.

 

Wen arrived in Cape Town on Wednesday afternoon for a two-day official visit to the Republic of South Africa as the fifth leg of his seven-nation Africa tour.

 

"I am visiting South Africa to strengthen China-South Africa friendship, enhance political mutual trust, expand cooperation of mutual benefit and promote common development," said the Chinese premier.

 

Reviewing the bilateral relations in the past eight years, he said in a press conference, China is satisfied with the progress in various kinds of cooperation with South Africa.

 

However, he said, it is just a start of 10,000 miles long march in such bilateral relations, which are in the fundamental interest of peoples of the two countries.

 

President Thabo Mbeki also expressed his satisfaction about South Africa's relations with China, saying that "both governments are indeed committed to cooperation in all fields."

 

Mbeki expressed his appreciation over the Chinese assistance and said "we can meet our challenges" with the Chinese help.

 

Wen will also meet political figures on bilateral and international issues, meet local entrepreneurs and attend a forum on Sino-South African trade and investment on Thursday.

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 22, 2006)