President Jiang Zemin yesterday expressed his hope that China and South Africa will spare no efforts in promoting the development of bilateral ties.

There is a bright future for Sino-South African co-operation, said Jiang during his meeting yesterday with South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Jiang said that relations between the two countries have advanced smoothly since they forged diplomatic ties in early 1998.

China values its friendly co-operation with South Africa because it is a large and important developing African country, Jiang said.

Zuma said South Africa regards China as an important partner for the development of South Africa and the African continent as a whole and she added that her country hopes to further bilateral co-operation with China.

Jiang said China has proposed holding a ministerial-level meeting on Sino-African co-operation this October for two purposes - to discuss the establishment of a new international political and economic order, and to explore new measures for co-operation between China and Africa.

With the concerted efforts of China and African countries, the meeting will be a success, Jiang predicted.

Zuma appreciated China's proposal, saying that her country would support the meeting.

Zuma is in Beijing at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, who also held talks with Zuma yesterday.

Tang said China will join hands with South Africa to develop the bilateral relations, safeguard the rights and interests of developing countries, and push forward the establishment of a just and reasonable new international political and economic order.