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SA, China sign agreements to strengthen ties

Johannesburg - South Africa and China on Thursday signed a number of strategic agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and strengthening trade ties, the presidency said.

"The agreements were signed at the historic state visit by His Excellency President Jacob Zuma to China where he held official talks with his counterpart, His Excellency President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China," spokesperson Mac Maharaj said in a statement.

One of the agreements was a five- to ten-year strategic programme on cooperation, focusing on bilateral cooperation including "political mutual trust and strategic coordination" and cooperation in international affairs and issues relating to the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). The countries also agreed to further improve bilateral cooperation in trade and investment to redress the structural imbalance in the two countries' bilateral trade.

Agricultural agreements

An action plan on agriculture cooperation, including a protocol of phytosanitory requirements (the control of plant diseases) for maize and apples exported from South Africa to China, and for dates exported from China to South Africa, was signed.

"The signing of the agriculture-related agreements was affirmation that both countries stand ready to strengthen personnel and technology exchanges as well as promote agricultural capacity building through exchanging delegations," Maharaj said.

Zuma said: “We will also look at ways of enhancing cooperation in various sectors such as finance, the environment including co-operation in ocean economy, trade and investment, as well as transport and agriculture."

Zuma also called for improved financial sector cooperation to allow the countries easier access to each other's markets.

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