China-South Africa ties "at best time": Xi

Chinese President Xi Jinping(R) meets with South African President Jacob Zuma in Ufa, Russia, July 9, 2015. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

UFA, Russia, July 9 -- The ties between China and South Africa are at the best time in history, with strong development momentum, Chinese President Xi Jinpingtold his South African counterpart, Jacob Zuma, here on Thursday.

The two leaders met ahead of the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organization summits both to be held in the southwestern Russian city of Ufa.

Xi recalled the state visits he and Zuma had paid to each others' countries over the past two years, during which they mapped out long-term and comprehensive plans for bilateral cooperation.

China and South Africa have scored tangible results in strategic cooperation in important sectors, which significantly enriched the connotation of the comprehensive strategic partnership between them, Xi noted.

China, Xi said, is willing to enhance coordination and cooperation with South Africa, with special focus on such areas as marine economy, production capacity, economic special zone, energy and finance, so as to translate the bilateral friendship and political mutual trust into tangible cooperation results and better benefit the two peoples.

"I am delighted to see that China and South Africa have maintained sound communication and coordination on major international issues," said Xi.

China is willing to strengthen cooperation with South Africa within the mechanism of BRICS, in an effort to better build the BRICS countries, while enabling them to play a constructive role in international affairs and safeguarding the common interests of emerging-market economies and developing countries.