On January 31, 2023, Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu met with South African President’s Special Advisor on International Relations Maropene Ramokgopa and Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Candith Mashego-Dlamini in Pretoria, respectively.

Ma Zhaoxu said, China and South Africa enjoy a special friendship of “comradeship and brotherhood”. Over the past 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China-South Africa relations have made remarkable progress and become a model of China-Africa relations and South-South cooperation. Last November, President Xi Jinping met with President Cyril Ramaphosa, charting the course for the development of bilateral relations in the next stage. China is ready to work with South Africa to implement the important common understandings reached by the two heads of state, further strengthen political mutual trust, deepen and substantiate cooperation in various fields, and elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level. China supports South Africa in taking over the BRICS rotating chairmanship to make this year’s BRICS Summit a success.

Ramokgopa said, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Africa and China 25 years ago, the two countries have made great achievements in the development of bilateral relations. Facing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the trade and investment cooperation between South Africa and China has risen against the trend, demonstrating the strong momentum of bilateral relations. South Africa highly appreciates the fruitful results China achieved during its BRICS rotating chairmanship last year and is ready to join hands with China to work for the success of this year’s BRICS Summit.

Dlamini said, South Africa and China enjoy profound political mutual trust and continuously deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields. South Africa firmly pursues the one-China policy and is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China to take South Africa-China relations to a new level.

The two sides also exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual interest.