President Hu Jintao and South African President Thabo Mbeki on Thursday agreed to continue to enrich the strategic partnership between the two countries.

 

Hu and Mbeki met on the sidelines of the outreach session of the Group of Eight (G8) summit slated for Friday in Heiligendamm in northern Germany.

 

China and South Africa are due to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in January 2008. "We hope to use this opportunity to further boost the relations," Hu said.

 

Hu stressed that China has heeded trade issues that concern South Africa and taken measures to increase imports from the country.

 

China encourages and supports investment in South Africa by Chinese enterprises and more cooperation on large-scale projects between the two countries, Hu said.

 

China hopes a trade balance can be achieved through joint efforts, he added.

 

South Africa is a major participant of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit, which convened in Beijing last year.

 

The summit was very successful and China is willing to have more discussions and close cooperation with African nations, including South Africa, to implement the measures helpful to these countries, Hu said.

 

China will also seek more coordination with South Africa at the UN, the World Trade Organization and other multi-lateral institutions to make joint contribution to maintain regional and world peace and stability, safeguarding the lawful interests of developing nations, Hu noted.

 

Expressing his appreciation over China's efforts to achieve trade balance, Mbeki said his country will also take measures to narrow the gap.

 

South Africa will further promote cooperation on large-scale projects to enhance its trade and economic relations with China, the president noted.

 

Speaking of the FOCAC summit in Beijing, Mbeki said that African nations deemed the meeting very successful.

 

South Africa will work together with China to implement the results of the meeting and push forward the Sino-African relations, he added.

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 8, 2007)