China-S. Africa Ties Promising, Says Chinese Ambassador 　　In an exclusive interview with a People's Daily reporter in Johannesburg, the newly-appointed Chinese Ambassador Wang Xuexian said that the China-South African ties have been evolving in a healthy and smooth way, top-leaders' mutual visits were frequent, and exchanges and cooperation have been spreading in an all-round way. He pointed out that leaders of the two countries have laid out the framework principles for the development of the long-term stability, sincere friendship and all--round cooperation on the basis of the five principles of peaceful co-existence toward the 21st century and have laid a sound foundation for the further development of the relationship between the two countries. 　　Wang noted that government and non-governmental mutual friendly visits, exchanges and cooperation have deepened mutual understanding, drawn friendship of the two peoples closer and pushed the relations between the two countries forward without cease. 　　"The diplomatic ties have created favorable conditions for the development of bilateral trade and economic and technological cooperation. Over the past year, the economic and trade agreement signed by the two countries is being implemented. Trade is gorging ahead steadily. Economic cooperation is going deeper incessantly. And investment from both countries is showing an apparent hike." He cited a series of numbers to show the economic and trade development: For all the financial crisis in Asia, bilateral trade was still growing. From January through October last year, two-way trade totaled US$ 1.285 billion, an increase of 2.8% over a year earlier. Up to last October, Chinese state enterprises alone poured over US$ 150 million in investment in South Africa; industrial and commercial figures from the two countries signed a series of cooperative agreements and business contracts. 206 Chinese firms and enterprises took part in the International Trade Fair in South Africa. At the fair, business value signed totaled US$69.2 million and US$ 120 million were signed under agreenents of intent. 　　The ambassador said that economic cooperation and trade between the two countries are highly complementary to each other and there is a good chance for the development of economic and trade cooperation. He was confident in the prospects for the development of the relations of the two counties. He predicted that the two countries will keep good momentum for the mutual visits of the top leaders of the two countries. Exchanges and cooperation in all fields will see in-depth growth. "The Chinese government will probe and open up new areas and ways for cooperation and lift the trans-century China-South African ties to a new height," he said. Indepth 1999-01-16 Page3 Full Story in Chinese