"We reject that argument," he said, adding that China has cancelled most of the debt in Africa and has forged partnerships with African countries to help the development of the continent, which remains the world's poorest.

    "The Chinese leadership has made it clear that they see relations with Africa as mutually beneficial, and we are quite happy with that," he said.

    China's decision to limit its exports of textile products to South Africa for two years is a good example, Pahad said. South Africa's industry and trade unions have long accused low-price Chinese products of flocking into local market and against which they were unable to compete in order to survive.

    "I think that is a good political indication that China is willing to listen, even if they don't necessarily agree, to see where they can help developing countries," Pahad said.

    Pahad said he believed the portrayal of China both in western and some South African media as a "new colonialist power coming to exploit Africa" was a reflection of some powers which are "trying to project China negatively rather than showing China's entry into Africa as beneficial."

    "Of course Africa has resources that China needs. But at the same time, China's entry into Africa is also beneficial to the African continent," he said.

    "It's very easy on this continent for people to be subjected to so much negative propaganda that people begin to believe or tend to believe," he said. "We must fight to tackle that."

    Pahad said it was very important for China and South Africa, the continent's strongest economy and currently a UN Security Council member, to maintain strategic relations.

    He expected talks between President Hu and his South African counterpart Thabo Mbeki to focus not only on bilateral cooperation but also on key international issues, such as the reform of the UN, the World Trade Organization talks, "which are not going anywhere at the moment," and nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula and in Iran.

    A set of agreements dealing with South African fruit exports to China as well as cooperation in minerals and energy are to be signed during Hu's visit, scheduled for Feb. 6-8.

    His tour also includes Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique and Seychelles.