Ekip
02 December 2015•Update: 05 December 2015
By Hassan Isilow
PRETORIA, South Africa
China and South Africa on Wednesday have signed 26 agreements in various sectors valued at 94 billion rand (approximately $6.5billion).
South African President Jacob Zuma made the announcement at a joint media briefing with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
“Relations between South Africa and China are at their best ever,” Zuma told the media.
Among the agreements, several of those signed were in the fields of health and medical sciences, human resource cooperation and industrial development.
Xi Jinping is in South Africa for a two-day state visit which coincides with the hosting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which begins Friday.
He further said he had asked China to cooperate with South Africa in the field of hydro and renewable energy.
The total trade between South Africa and China experienced an upward trajectory since 2009, growing from 118 billion rand (approximately $8.2 billion) to 271 billion rand (over $10 billion) by the end of 2013.
The two-day summit of the political leadership of Africa and China will deal with the theme “China-Africa Progressing Together: Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development”.
Several African leaders are expected to start arriving in the country on Thursday morning.
