S Africa shares sound political ties with China: minister

South Africa and China shared a sound political relationship which can be used to lay the basis for achieving economic objectives, a cabinet minister said on Tuesday.

As part of the industrialisation process, China has agreed to South Africa's request to assist in the creation of black industrialists who will participate in the mainstream of the economy, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said at a press briefing in Pretoria on President Jacob Zuma's visit to China.

Zuma paid a state visit to China on December 4-5.

During the visit, the two governments adopted the China-South Africa Five-to-Ten Year Framework on Cooperation with the objective of furthering and entrenching the implementation of agreements since the conclusion of the Beijing Declaration in 2010, the minister said.

In terms of the protocols or agreements reached during the visit, China has agreed to expedite market access negotiations for the export of South African fresh produce to China such as maize and apple fruit, Nkoana-Mashabane said.

"The two governments also concluded Agreements/MoUs on collaboration in human resource and capacity development; soliciting support for South Africa's industrial planning, to improve the beneficiation and value addition with respect to raw materials," she said.

China has committed to supporting South Africa's industrialisation agenda by agreeing to assist in the development of Science and Technology and Industrial Parks, as well as in key areas such as the Ocean Economy, according to Nkoana-Mashabane.

During the visit, the two governments discussed ways to support tourism promotion activities conducted by South Africa and China in order to increase investment in the tourism industry, as well as to facilitate a further increase in tourism, Nkoana-Mashabane said.

Zuma and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping discussed the high- level FOCAC (Forum on China-Africa Cooperation) which will be hosted in South Africa and co-chaired by both countries in 2015, said Nkoana-Mashabane.

FOCAC is an important engine of growth and development on the African continent.

Nkoana-Mashabane said South Africa will host the 2015 Year of China in South Africa.

China hosted the Year of South Africa 2014, which provided a unique opportunity to showcase South Africa's economic, political and cultural achievements.