Special Report: Chinese President Hu visits 8 African countries

Chinese President, Hu Jintao, delivers a keynote address at South Africa's prestigious University of Pretoria Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    PRETORIA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao said here on Wednesday that China will consolidate traditional friendship, expand practical cooperation and strengthen a new type of strategic partnership with Africa.

    Hu is on an eight-nation African tour, and made the remarks in a speech at South Africa's prestigious University of Pretoria.

    "China is the biggest developing country and Africa is the continent with the largest number of developing countries," he said, adding that to deepen the China-Africa traditional friendship and develop the new all-around strategic partnership is the calling of the times.

    The president listed four fields in which China is ready to make joint efforts with Africa to accomplish the afore-mentioned goal.

    -- China will forge friendship, maintain close political dialogue, coordination and increase mutual understanding and trust with Africa, Hu said.

    -- China will deepen cooperation and expand economic and technological exchanges to achieve mutual benefit and win-win progress.

    -- China will strengthen dialogue and exchanges between the Chinese and African civilizations and make common progress through mutual learning and enrichment.

    -- China and Africa will treat each other as equals and strengthen cooperation in international affairs to uphold the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.

    On Tuesday afternoon, Hu talked with his South African counterpart Thabo Mbeki to reach broad consensus on future development of bilateral relations. Both sides agreed to develop bilateral ties from a strategic perspective and push forward their strategic partnership based on equality, mutual benefit and common development.

    During the talks, Hu put forward a five-point proposal for further promoting China-South Africa ties, including ways of boosting political mutual trust, deepening economic and trade cooperation, expanding the scope of bilateral cooperation, increasing people-to-people contacts and intensifying multilateral cooperation.

    After the meeting, China and South Africa issued a joint communique laying out a variety of priorities for the two countries to strengthen bilateral cooperation in such areas as politics, economy and trade, international affairs and people-to-people interactions.

    The communique stated that China and South Africa will develop their relations along the lines of the four principles agreed upon by the top leaders of the two countries.

    The four principles are: mutual political trust and strategic consultation between the two countries should be broadened; economic cooperation and trade should be enhanced; coordination and cooperation should be enhanced through diplomatic consultations; and cultural and people-to-people interaction should be strengthened.

    In the communique, South Africa reaffirmed its commitment to the one-China policy, recognizing the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China.

    Hu arrived in South Africa after winding up visits to Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia and Namibia. He will also visit Mozambique and Seychelles.