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Embassy of China in South Africa

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of Africa. It is divided into nine provinces and has 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline. To the north lie the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland; while Lesotho is an enclave surrounded by South African territory. South Africa is the 25th largest country in the world by area and the 24th most populous country with over 51 million people. Read More

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Embassy

Address:	972 Pretorius Street, Arcadia 0083, Pretoria
Tel:	+27 12 4316 500
Fax:	+27 12 3424 244
Email:	reception@chinese-embassy.org.za
Website:	Website

Consulates

South Africa has consulates in the following cities

Cape Town
Durban
Johannesburg

Address:	25 Rhodes Avenue, Newlands, Cape Town
Postal Code:	7700
Tel:	(+27) 21 6740 592 / 6740594
Fax:	(+27) 21 6740 589
Email:	chinaconsul_ct_za@mfa.gov.cn
Website:	Website
Consular Jurisdiction:	Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape Province, Northern Cape Province

Address:	45 Stirling Crescent, Durban North, Durban
Postal Code:	4051
Tel:	(+27) 31 5634 534 / 5634 731 / 5631 793
Fax:	(+27) 31 5634 827
Email:	chinaconsul_db_za@mfa.gov.cn
Website:	Website
Consular Jurisdiction:	KwaZulu-Natal Province

Address:	25 Cleveland Road, Sandhurst, Sandton, Johannesburg
Tel:	(+27) 11 7847 241
Fax:	(+27) 11 8835 274
Email:	chinaconsul_jb_za@mfa.gov.cn
Website:	Website
Consular Jurisdiction:	Gauteng Province, Free State Province (Orange Free State)

Relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa scaled new heights in 2010, with the comprehensive strategic partnership established between the two countries.

The two sides maintained frequent high level mutual visits. From 28 March to 1 April, CPPCC Chairman Jia Qinglin paid a visit to South Africa and met with South African President Jacob Zuma and held talks with Chairman of the National Council of Provinces of South Africa Mninwa Mahlangu. During the visit, Chairman Jia Qinglin attended the China-South Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa, and delivered a speech entitled "Deepening Economic and Trade Cooperation to Achieve Mutual Benefit and Win-Win Results". Chairman Jia also attended the China-South Africa commodity purchase contract signing ceremony. The total contract value was more than US$300 million.

Vice President Xi Jinping paid a visit to South Africa from 16 to 19 November. He met with President Zuma and Speaker Sisulu in Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa, held talks with Vice President Kgalema Motlanthe and co-chaired the fourth plenary of the China-South Africa Bi-National Commission (CSABC). Vice President Xi and Vice President Motlanthe attended the signing ceremony of four documents regarding cooperation between the two sides in energy, trade statistics, banking regulation and supervision and other areas. In Pretoria, Vice President Xi attended the opening ceremony of the seminar commemorating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the FOCAC and delivered a speech entitled "Work Together to Create a Promising Future for China-Africa New Type of Strategic Partnership".

Before the fourth plenary of the CSABC, Chinese officials accompanying Vice President Xi held subcommittee meetings with their South African counterparts under the CSABC. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhai Jun and Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ebrahim Ebrahim held the third meeting of the CSABC Diplomatic Sectoral Committee and the third China-South Africa Strategic Dialogue. The two sides had in-depth exchange of views and reached extensive consensus on China-South Africa relations, FOCAC affairs and African and international issues of shared interest. Vice Minister of Commerce Chen Jian and Vice Minister of Trade and Industry of South Africa Thandi Tobias-Pokolo held the fourth meeting of the CSABC Economic and Trade Sectoral Committee and attended the signing ceremony of cooperation agreements between Chinese and South African enterprises.

Deputy Director of the National Energy Administration Qian Zhimin and Director General of the Energy Department of South Africa N. Magubane held the first meeting of the CSABC Energy Sectoral Committee and attended the signing ceremony of four cooperation agreements between Chinese and South African enterprises. Vice Chairman of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) Zhang Xiaoqiang and Director General of Mineral Resources Department of South Africa Adv Sandile Nogxina held the first meeting of the CSABC Mineral Resources Sectoral Committee and reached much consensus on further enhancing cooperation on mineral resources between the two countries. Vice Minister of Science and Technology Wang Weizhong and Vice Minister of Science and Technology of South Africa Derek Andre Hanekom held the fourth meeting of the CSABC Science and Technology Sectoral Committee.

During the meeting, the two sides briefed each other on their respective policies and latest development of science and technology and discussed the future of cooperation on science and technology between the two countries.

Leaders of the two countries maintained frequent interactions through letters, phone calls and meetings on multilateral occasions. On 23 December, following the consensus with Russia, India and Brazil on South Africa's participation in the "BRIC" cooperation mechanism, President Hu Jintao, in his capacity as the BRIC rotating chair, sent a letter to South African President Jacob Zuma to invite him to attend the third BRICS Leaders' Meeting in China in 2011. Earlier in the year on 15 April, President Hu Jintao met with President Zuma on the sidelines of the second BRIC Summit. NPC Chairman Wu Bangguo had a bilateral meeting with Speaker Sisulu on the sidelines of the Third World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Geneva on 20 July.

President Zuma paid a state visit to China from 23 to 26 August. President Hu Jintao held talks with President Zuma. NPC Chairman Wu Bangguo, Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice President Xi Jinping met with President Zuma separatesly. The two heads of state signed the Beijing Declaration on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, taking the relations between the two countries to a new level, and making overall plans for the practical cooperation between China and South Africa in nearly 30 fields. Competent government departments of the two countries signed seven documents on setting up a mineral subcommittee and an energy subcommittee under the CSABC and engaging in cooperation in environment, transportation and other fields.

During his visit in China, President Zuma delivered a speech entitled "South Africa, Africa and China in a Changing World Economy" in Renmin University of China. Besides Beijing , he also visited Shanghai and met with Yu Zhengsheng, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Municipal Committee of Shanghai during the visit. In Shanghai , President Zuma attended and addressed the China-South Africa Business Forum, visited the China Pavilion, Africa Joint Pavilion and South Africa Pavilion in the Expo Site.

Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa Max Sisulu visited China from 21 to 29 October. President Hu Jintao met with him. Chairman Wu Bangguo held talks with him, and the two sides had in-depth exchange of views on China-Africa relations and international and regional issues of shared interest. They agreed on further exchanges between the legislatures of the two countries to facilitate mutual learning and experience sharing on managing the country. Speaker Sisulu also visited Chongqing , Hubei and Shanghai . Bo Xilai, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Municipal Committee of Chongqing , met with him.

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi maintained frequent communication and exchanges with Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. Mashabane visited China in February. Vice President Xi Jinping met with him and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi held talks with him. In September, Foreign Minister Yang met with Mashabane on the sidelines of the 65th UN General Assembly. Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi talked with Minister Mashabane on 23 December and informed him of the unanimous decision of China, Russia, India and Brazil to have South Africa as an official member of the BRIC cooperation mechanism.

Exchanges between the ruling parties of the two countries have been active. In September, alternate member of the CPC Central Committee and Deputy Secretary of CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee Zhang Xuan attended, upon invitation, the National Congress of the African National Congress (ANC) as the representative of CPC. In July, the 23-member second workshop of the ANC National Executive Committee led by the National Chairperson of the ANC Baleka Mbete visited China. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of CPC Beijing Municipal Committee Liu Qi, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee Wang Jiarui and Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee Ai Ping met with him separately.

The delegation also visited Jiangxi and Shanghai . In August, General Secretary of the South African Communist Party and Minister of the Department of Higher Education and Training of South Africa Blade Nzimande led a delegation to China. The delegation visited Hebei besides Beijing . In November, the 13-member third workshop of the ANC National Executive Committee led by Member of the ANC National Executive Committee and Minister of the Department of Communications of South Africa Sbusiso Joel Ndebele visited China. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee Li Yuanchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee Wang Jiarui and Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee Ai Ping met with him separately. The delegation also visited Sichuan .

Economic and trade cooperation between the two countries sustained a healthy and fast growth. Bilateral trade recovered from the impact of the international financial crisis and grew by a large margin. Trade volume set a new historical record and trade became more balanced. Two-way investment and cooperation increased in scale and expanded to mineral, energy, infrastructure and other fields. During Vice President Xi Jinping's visit to South Africa in November, Vice Chairman of NDRC and Director of the National Energy Administration Zhang Guobao and Deputy Director of the National Energy Administration Qian Zhimin had in-depth exchange of views with Minister of Energy Dipuo Peters and Director General of the Energy Department of South Africa N. Magubane on nuclear energy and renewable energy respectively.

Vice Minister of Commerce Chen Jian reached consensus with Vice Minister of Trade and Industry of South Africa Pokolo on deepening and expanding the range of China-South Africa economic and trade cooperation. China Development Bank signed a cooperation agreement with the South African Energy Department on financing the development of the energy industry in South Africa.

Military-to-military exchanges between the two countries were deepened. In November, State Councilor and Minister of Defense General Liang Guanglie met with South African Secretary for Defense Mpumi Mpofu and Commander of the South African National Defense Force Godfrey Ngwenya who were in China for the fourth meeting of the CSABC Defense Committee. Deputy Chief of the General Staff of PLA General Ma Xiaotian and Secretary Mpofu held the fourth meeting of the China-South Africa Defense Committee.

New progress was made in exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in art, culture, news media, tourism and other people-to-people and cultural fields. In May, the preliminary of the third Chinese Bridge-Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students in South Africa was held in Pretoria. The South African Department of Tourism set up an office in Beijing in the same month. In July, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Press and Publication Li Dongdong visited South Africa at the invitation of the Department of Arts and Culture of South Africa. The China Publishing Group and China International Book Import and Export Company organized and sent a delegation composed of representatives from over 60 Chinese publishing units to the Cape Town International Book Fair. In August, the "Exhibition of Art Photography Farmer Painting of Henan Province, China" was held in the Capital Arts Festival in Pretoria.

The two countries cooperated closely on matters relating to the Shanghai World Expo. In April, commissioned by the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, Business Day of South Africa published a special issue on the Shanghai World Expo. Minister Mashabane attended the opening ceremony of the South Africa Pavilion in May. President Zuma visited the Shanghai World Expo Site in August. The South Africa Pavilion, which covered 2,000 square meters, was the largest rented pavilion in the Expo Site. About 4.1 million visitors from across the world visited the Pavillion.

Exchanges between local authorities of the two countries maintained good momentum. In May, Premier of the Free State of South Africa Magashule visited Wuxi City. In September, Secretary of the CPC Provincial Committee of Zhejiang Zhao Hongzhu visited South Africa. Premier of Limpopo Province of South Africa Cassel Mathale visited Henan province in the same month. In November, Standing Member of the CPC Provincial Committee and head of the Publicity Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Shen Beihai visited Kwzulu-Natal Province of South Africa and the two sides signed a memorandum on establishing sister province relationship.