South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to make key announcements following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, as part of a state visit aimed at strengthening ties between the two nations. The visit coincides with Ramaphosa’s participation in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit, taking place later this week. This high-level event, running from Monday to Thursday, will see a majority of African heads of state in attendance.
Speaking to South African media on Sunday, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola revealed that discussions between South Africa and China have laid the groundwork for major developments in energy, logistics, green energy, and trade. “There will be groundbreaking announcements by both heads of state around these crucial economic issues,” Lamola noted, highlighting that bilateral trade between the countries now stands at nearly R600 billion.
Lamola emphasized the importance of these partnerships for South Africa, particularly in creating jobs and improving infrastructure, such as road networks and one-stop border posts in support of the African Union’s initiatives. Agreements on multilateral cooperation at the United Nations level and discussions on pressing geopolitical issues, such as the situation in Gaza, were also part of the diplomatic agenda.
South Africa’s relationship with China, its largest global trading partner, is anchored in a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) agreement. According to Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, bilateral trade between the two nations grew from R614 billion in 2022 to R692 billion in 2023.
The visit, which began with a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on Monday, will also see Ramaphosa visit Shenzhen, a leading technology hub in China, to engage with business leaders and tech companies. On Wednesday, the president will address the South Africa-China Business Forum on the margins of the FOCAC Summit, focusing on further advancing economic cooperation.
The FOCAC Summit will be held under the theme, “Joining Hands to Advance Modernisation and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future.” Ramaphosa will co-chair discussions on Africa’s industrialization, agricultural modernization, and green development. The summit is expected to conclude with a declaration and an action plan for 2025-2027.
Ramaphosa’s delegation includes key ministers from portfolios such as international relations, trade, agriculture, and energy, all of whom will be actively involved in signing new agreements aimed at enhancing South Africa’s economic and technological cooperation with China.
The state visit builds on the long-standing relationship between South Africa and China, which celebrated 25 years of diplomatic ties in 2023, with Xi Jinping visiting South Africa for his fourth state visit in August.