PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) – Welcomed by a military band and a guard of honor, Chinese President Xi Jinping began a state visit to South Africa on Wednesday, part of China’s effort to strengthen economic ties with Africa.
The Chinese government became Africa’s largest international trading partner in 2009, according to the South African Institute of International Affairs. Trade was valued at over $201 billion last year, a sharp rise from just $10.6 billion in 2000. This is Xi’s second visit to the country – the first was in 2013 when the Chinese president toured several African states.
Xi met his South African counterpart President Jacob Zuma in an official ceremony in the capital Pretoria. After the red carpet procession, each president was flanked by row of cabinet ministers, who were part of the talks on issues such as financial cooperation and infrastructure projects. Xi’s visit comes ahead of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation, a meeting that brings together African and Chinese leaders every three years.
The two leaders watched as cabinet ministers and industry leaders signed 26 bilateral agreements worth about $6.5 billion, that include a $500 million loan to Eskom, South Africa’s struggling national power supplier, according to a statement released by the South African government.
Xi’s visit to South Africa comes a day after meeting Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe in Harare, where the Chinese leader signed deals worth more than $4 billion, according to Zimbabwean newspapers. In addition to China’s mining interests in cash-strapped Zimbabwe, the 12 agreements cover industries such as power and transport, and prevent double taxation for investors, according to the Herald, a state-owned Zimbabwean newspaper.