On January, 1, 2018, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, warmly congratulating on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa.
Xi Jinping pointed out in the congratulatory message that twenty years ago today, China and South Africa formally established diplomatic relations and opened a new page of bilateral relations. Over the past twenty years, under the joint efforts of both sides, China-South Africa relations have enjoyed comprehensive and in-depth development, achieving a major leap from partnership, strategic partnership to comprehensive strategic partnership. The facts have proved that continuously consolidating and deepening China-South Africa all-round cooperation conform to the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples. I stand ready to, together with Mr. President, promote the constant and forward-looking development of bilateral relations to better benefit the two countries and the two peoples.
Xi Jinping expressed that China and South Africa are incumbent co-chairs of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). In 2015, the FOCAC Johannesburg Summit jointly presided over by Mr. President and I achieved a complete success. In accordance with the proposal of Mr. President and common wishes of the African countries, China agrees to hold the FOCAC Summit in 2018. I am willing to, together with Mr. President and other African leaders of the FOCAC members, make the 2018 FOCAC Summit a historic event which will strengthen solidarity and cooperation between China and Africa.
Jacob Zuma expressed that the 20th anniversary of the establishment of South Africa-China relations serves as a significant milestone in the history of bilateral relations. Over the past twenty years, South Africa and China have achieved sound cooperation results on the basis of traditional friendship and mutual trust. Bilateral relations have been constantly elevated and given more important strategic meanings. The two countries have coordinated closely on issues concerning each other's common interests and jointly coped with the new threats and challenges facing the world. As the co-chairs of the FOCAC, South Africa and China have dedicated to pushing forward Africa-China partnership and promoting the implementation of the results of the 2015 FOCAC Johannesburg Summit. He looks forward to attending the new summit of the FOCAC in China in September, 2018. He also hopes to take the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries as an opportunity to enhance South-Africa friendly relations, expand cooperation and achieve win-win results.