Ⅰ. Bilateral political relations

The People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa established diplomatic relations on January 1, 1998. In April 2000, the two heads of state signed the Pretoria Declaration on Partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa. During Vice President Zeng Qinghong's visit to South China in 2004, the two sides established the strategic partnership of equality, mutual benefit, and common development. During Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to South China in 2006, the two countries signed the "Cooperation Outline on Deepening the Strategic Partnership between China and South Africa". In August 2010, during President Zuma's visit to China, the two heads of state jointly signed the Beijing Declaration on Establishing Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, elevating bilateral relations to comprehensive strategic partnership. In September 2024, during President Ramaphosa's attendance at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and his state visit to China, President Xi Jinping and President Ramaphosa issued a joint statement elevating bilateral relations to an all-round strategic cooperative partnership in the new era.

President Xi Jinping has paid four state visits to South Africa since 2013. Other major high level officials visiting South China in recent years include: Yang Jiechi (as Foreign Minister in 2013, as State Councilor in 2015 and as a Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the CPC Central Foreign Affairs Commission in 2019), Vice President Li Yuanchao (2013), Wang Yi (as Foreign Minister in 2015, as State Councilor and Foreign Minister in 2018 and 2019, as a Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister in 2023 and 2024), Vice Premier Liu Yandong (2017), Vice Premier Sun Chunlan (2023), Li Xi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection(2024). 

Major high level official visiting China in recent years include: Mbeki (as Vice President in 1998, as President in 2001 and 2006), Speaker of the National Assembly Kinwala (1998), President Mandela (1999), Zuma (as Vice President in 2004, as President in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017), Chairman of the National Provincial Affairs Committee Maherangu (2005), Speaker of the National Assembly Mbet (2006 and 2015), Vice President Nuka (2007),  Speaker of the National Assembly Sisulu(2010), Vice President Motlanthi (2011, 2013), Ramaphosa (as Vice President in 2015, as President in 2018, 2024), Vice President Mabuza (2019), Vice President Mashatille (2023).

Ⅱ. Bilateral economic and trade relations

China is South Africa's largest trading partner, and South Africa is China's largest trading partner in Africa. The bilateral trade volume in 2024 is 52.46 billion US dollars.

As of the end of 2023, the stock of various investments by Chinese enterprises in South Africa is 10.7 billion US dollars, involving mining, home appliances, automobiles, building materials, finance, media and other fields. South China has accumulated actual investment of about 900 million US dollars in China, involving media, mining, chemical, food and other fields. The Renminbi is one of South Africa's reserve currencies.

Ⅲ.Cultural and people-to-people exchanges

China and South Africa have signed the cultural cooperation agreement and its implementation plan, and multi-level and multi-channel cultural exchanges and cooperation have developed smoothly. In 2015, South Africa was the first African country to incorporate Chinese language teaching into its national education system.

Both sides have established friendly relationships with 34 provinces and cities, mainly including Beijing and Gauteng Province, Shanghai and KwaZulu-Natal Province, Shandong Province and Western Cape Province, Zhejiang Province and Eastern Cape Province, Jiangsu Province and Free State Province, etc. At the beginning of 2023, China optimized and adjusted the COVID-19 prevention and control policies, and South Africa was listed as one of the first destinations to resume outbound group travel.

The "South Africa Year" was successfully held in China in 2014. The South African "China Year" was successfully held in South Africa in 2015.

Ⅳ. Important bilateral agreements and documents

Joint Communique between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Two Countries (December 1997)

Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on Mutual Encouragement and Protection of Investment (December 1997)

Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on the Establishment of the Joint Economic and Trade Commission (February 1999)

The Pretoria Declaration on Partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa (April 2000)

Extradition Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa (December 2001)

Outline of Cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa on Deepening Strategic Partnership (June  2006)

Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on Public Health and Medical Sciences (June 2006)

Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on Cooperation in Mineral and Energy Fields (September 2007)

Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on Mutual Exemption of Visa Requirements for Diplomatic Passport Holders (August 2010)

Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on Cooperation in the Energy Sector (August 2010)

Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on Jointly Promoting the Construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (December  2015)

Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on Public Health and Medical Sciences (December 2015)

Ten Year Cooperation Strategic Plan between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa 2020-2029 (March 2022)

Letter of Intent on Agreeing to Deepen Cooperation on the the Belt and Road (August 2023)

Joint Statement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa on Establishing Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Cooperation in the New Era (September 2024)

Memorandum of Understanding between the National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Science and Technology Innovation of the Republic of South Africa on Cooperation in the Field of Beidou Satellite Navigation System Applications (September 2024)