It is a great honour for me to stand before you today and address you on this important Ambassadorial forum on South Africa-China Diplomatic Relations at 15 years. Many among us may be wondering what an ambassadorial forum is all about. We have given a brief explanation on what our ambassadorial fora are all about in your programme. In a nutshell, it is one of AISA’s flagship projects in partnership with the City of Tshwane which fulfils our mandate of providing and disseminating knowledge to our South African and other stakeholders. This ambassadorial forum is significant because this year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa, and next year we will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the new South Africa.  The two countries have been having Binational Commission meetings since 2001 and the cordial relationship has been expressed in many ways politically and economically. 

Apart from the 1998 adoption of the One China policy which can be traced from 2000 when the Forum for China Africa Co-operation (FOCAC) was established, serving as the chief instrument of engagement between the People’s Republic of China and Africa, then in 2005, a strategic partnership with a focus on political solidarity, economic development and socio-cultural co-operation was developed and now in 2015, South Africa will host the FOCAC ministerial Summit.  It is important, to note that the history of the relationship of these two countries as it predates 1994 when the year South Africa got its first democratically elected government. Historically, South Africa – China relations can be traced back to a thousand years ago in Maphungubwe, Limpopo, which was the centre of the largest kingdom in southern Africa, with a thriving trade in gold and ivory with China. 

Economically, South Africa is now China’s largest trading partner in Africa. Business and economic ties between the two countries have grown significantly since the establishment of diplomatic relations.   One notes also that South Africa and China discuss the implementation of Africa’s agenda especially Africa’s security, conflict resolution and governance issues etc.  Furthermore, as Sue van der Merwe, Former Deputy Minister of Foreign affairs stated on her Reflections on 10 Years of bilateral relations and the People’s Republic of China in 2008, the full picture is one of a mutually beneficial relationship that includes, support for the African Agenda; skills and knowledge transfer; increased Foreign Direct Investment which includes the agri-industries, electricity, road construction, textiles, tourism and telecommunications; debt relief of US$1,3 billion to African states since the inception of FOCAC; with a further US$1,3 billion in write-offs promised at the Beijing Summit in 2006 and a US$5 billion China-Africa Development Fund just to mention a few.

There is no denying that South Africa China relations have major influence in both countries regionally, nationally, and globally.  As H.E., Ambassador TIAN Xuejin reported in June 2013, China and South Africa have advanced shoulder to shoulder as the new South Africa has developed. BWJ Langa, also reported recently in the New Age that China occupies a pre-eminent position in South Africa’s foreign policy agenda.  As in any relationship the bilateral relationship between the two countries has room for improvement.  However, as indicated earlier a lot has been accomplished over the past 2 decades.  From a regional and global perspective one hopes to see this bilateral bloom into one of positive hegemonic influence that would promote continental growth in Africa, and promote relationships between both regions.