China, South Africa hold bi-national commission meeting

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 3, 2023. They co-chaired the eighth plenary session of the China-South Africa Bi-National Commission. [Photo by Shen Hong/Xinhua]

BEIJING, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile in Beijing on Friday, and they co-chaired the eighth plenary session of the China-South Africa Bi-National Commission.

The commission has been playing a key role in coordinating bilateral cooperation in important areas, Han said.

He called on the two sides to consolidate mutual political trust, continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests, deepen practical cooperation and expand people-to-people exchanges.

He said both sides should strengthen international coordination, enhance communication on climate change, food security and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and increase the representation and voice of countries of the Global South in global governance.

Han said China is ready to work with South Africa and other African countries to strengthen cooperation in the BRICS mechanism, the G20, the United Nations and other platforms, oppose bloc confrontation and practice genuine multilateralism.

He called on China and Africa to jointly build a community with a shared future to demonstrate to the world the strength of developing countries by standing together, and to inject more stability and positive energy into a changing and volatile world.

Mashatile said South Africa attaches great importance to developing relations with China, firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and stands ready to work with China to make full use of the positive role of the bi-national commission mechanism in promoting the development of bilateral relations.

The two leaders listened to the reports from the sub-committees covering foreign affairs, economy and trade, minerals, science and technology, energy, education and marine economy.