DURBAN, Oct. 18 -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi here on Friday.

Ramaphosa asked Wang to convey his cordial greetings and good wishes to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

South Africa, he said, attaches great importance to the comprehensive strategic partnership with China. South Africa appreciates China's strong support for the African National Congress government, and cherishes the friendship and mutual trust between the two countries and two parties, he said.

South Africa is willing to continue to firmly support China on issues involving their core interests and major concerns, and compare more notes in governing the country, he said.

South Africa will integrate its own development with the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, and promote bilateral ties to a new level, he said.

Under the current situation, the president said, South Africa values the strengthening of strategic coordination with China and maintaining close communication with China within the multilateral framework of the United Nations, the Group of 20 and the BRICS so as to safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

Wang for his part conveyed President Xi's cordial greetings to Ramaphosa.

He noted that Xi and Ramaphosa had met many times and reached a lot of important consensuses, offering strategic guidance for the development of bilateral ties.

Given that China and South Africa are both major developing countries and representatives of emerging markets, the growth of their ties not only serves the interests of both countries, but also strengthens the power of developing countries and the forces of world peace and stability, he said.

China treasures the deep mutual trust between the two countries and is ready to work on the agenda of both countries and parties at the next stage, said the foreign minister.

China would like to dovetail its development strategies with South Africa under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative, he said.

China encourages its enterprises to expand their investment in South Africa, help support the country's reindustrialization, and increase imports of major agricultural products and manufactured goods from South Africa, he said, adding that China is willing to remain a trustworthy, long-term partner for South Africa.

On the same day, Wang held talks with Naledi Pandor, South Africa's minister of international relations and cooperation.