GUEST OF HONOR: Chinese President Xi Jinping and visiting South African President Jacob Zuma at a welcome ceremony in Beijing on December 4 (PANG XINGLEI)

South African President Jacob Zuma paid a state visit to China on December 3-6, leading a delegation of government ministers and close to 100 business people from various sectors. With this being the second state visit to China by President Zuma since August 2010, it is clear that Sino-South African cooperation is on the rise. South Africa's International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said that the visit aimed to review and bolster the country's relationship with China, focusing on "the priority issues of development in South Africa and Africa."

In an interview conducted via e-mail ahead of the visit, Beijing Review's Africa Managing Editor Francisco Little asked President Zuma about details regarding the focal points of strengthening bilateral relations and what measures are being taken to increase South Africa's manufacturing exports to China. Excerpts of the interview follow:

Beijing Review: With China being South Africa's biggest trading partner and South Africa being China's biggest trading partner in Africa, what are the central themes around the strengthening of investment relations between the two?

Jacob Zuma: The Beijing Declaration on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2010) encapsulates all facets of our relationship with China. Within the context of this agreement we are committed to:

- working toward a more equitable trade balance;

- encouraging trade in manufactured value-added products;

- increased trade and investment missions;

- establishing a joint working group on trade statistics;

- encouraging China's enterprises to increase investment in South Africa's manufacturing industry;

- promoting value-adding activities in close proximity to the source of raw materials;

- facilitating beneficiation at source;

- providing mutual technical support in the areas of green economy, skills development and industrial financing; and

- encouraging companies from both countries to explore cooperation opportunities in infrastructure construction projects in areas such as roads, railways, ports, power generation, airports and housing.

These broad themes remain consistent in all our engagements.