Having established formal ties on 01 January 1998, the Republic of South Africa and the People’s Republic of China have celebrated 20 years of formal diplomatic relations
In the past 20 years, the two countries achieved a significant number of bilateral cooperation agreements in areas including trade, investment, economic and people-to-people relations.
In the previous two decades, the countries assumed increased strategic significance, starting with a partnership in 2000, to a strategic partnership in 2004 and ultimately to a comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP) since the signing of the Beijing Declaration in 2010.
In 2017, South Africa and China strengthened friendship through the inaugural of South Africa-China High-Level People-to-People Exchange Mechanism which took place in Pretoria in April 2017.
South Africa advanced the China-Africa partnership by continuing to co-chair the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), and working towards the implementation of the outcomes of the 2015 FOCAC Johannesburg Summit. China hosted the ninth BRICS Summit in Xiamen, with South Africa scheduled to host the tenth BRICS Summit in 2018.
On behalf of the government of South Africa and the citizens, Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa, expressed his well wishes on the occasion of 20 year diplomatic relations to further reinforce it and explore more opportunities to create win-win cooperation for both Republics.
