JOHANNESBURG - South African President Thabo Mbeki
will lead a senior government delegation to China on November 3 for the Forum on
China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC)Summit of Heads of State and Government in
Beijing scheduled from November 4 to 5.
Ronnie Mamoepa, spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs, said in a
statement issued here on Sunday that Mbeki will participate in this Summit
within the context of South Africa's commitment to consolidate the African
agenda through South-South cooperation including cooperation projects through
the New Africa-Asia Strategic Partnership (NAASP).
He said that South Africa and the Peoples' Republic of China are in addition,
members of the Group of 77 + China, which is the largest coalition of developing
countries outside of the United Nations. South Africa currently chairs the G-77
+ China.
The Summit will include a Roundtable discussion in addition to a High-Level
Dialogue between Chinese-African Leaders and Business Communities. The
Roundtable will be chaired by Chinese President Hu Jintao and Ethiopian Prime
Minister Meles Zenawi.
The Summit is expected to explore opportunities for concrete and
practical cooperation on NEPAD implementation and to explore the linkages with
the Sino-Africa process in the 18 economic and social development fields
identified in the "Beijing Declaration" of 2000 and "Programme for China and
Africa Cooperation in Economic and Social Development (2000)", as well as the areas
of cooperation identified in the "Forum on China-Africa Cooperation-Addis Ababa
Action Plan 2004-2006" document adopted in 2003.
The spokesman said that the Summit is expected to adopt a Declaration and an
Action Plan (2007-2009).
Speaking about China-South Africa Relations, he said, South Africa's
strategic engagement with China is located within the country's key foreign
policy priorities, which are shaped by our domestic priorities and include such
as poverty alleviation, the equitable distribution of wealth, peace and
security, and the creation of a better life for all.
Countries in the Southern Hemisphere share many of the same social and
developmental challenges, including those induced by globalization and historic
inequity. The interdependent global order with a multipolar dimension means that
like-minded countries have to form alliances on common issues, he added.
He said that South Africa's relations with China are an example of such an
alliance that advances South Africa's bilateral, regional, trilateral and
multilateral agendas.
In this regard, he said, China represents an enormous opportunity for South
Africa and Africa, but at the same time poses certain challenges. The sheer size
of the Chinese market, its untapped potential, its population size, its
explosive growth, its membership of the UN Security Council and its emergence as
a major global power all present opportunities.
"China is also a key player in the expansion of South-South cooperation as we
seek to maximize the opportunities presented by globalization and reduce the
negative effects. China can be a keyally in the fight to reform the
international political, financial and trade architecture (in the UN, IMF, and
WTO)," he said.
