Chinese President Hu Jintao and his South African counterpart, Thabo Mbeki, hold talks in Pretoria Tuesday.(Xinhua Photo)

China and South Africa issued a joint communique on Tuesday laying out a variety of priorities for the two countries to strengthen bilateral cooperation in such areas as politics, economy and trade, international affairs and people-to-people interactions.

The communique was released after Chinese President Hu Jintao and his South African counterpart, Thabo Mbeki, held talks in Pretoria.

Hu arrived here earlier in the day from Namibia for a three-day state visit to South Africa.

The communique stated that China and South Africa will develop their relations along the lines of the four principles agreed upon by the top leaders of the two countries.

The four principles are: political mutual trust and strategic consultation between the two countries should be broadened; economic cooperation and trade should be enhanced; coordination and cooperation should be enhanced through diplomatic consultations; and cultural and people-to-people interaction should be strengthened.

In implementing these principles, the communique said, the two countries will give priority to boosting political mutual trust and strategic consultation, enhancing economic cooperation and trade links, strengthening coordination in international affairs, as well as increasing cultural and people-to-people interactions.

The steps which the two sides agreed to take to enhance bilateral cooperation in the afore-mentioned priority areas include:

-- Maintain high-level contacts and exchange views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest in an in-depth and wide-ranging way that will build trust and promote mutual benefit.

The two sides will "actively promote a positive image of the warm relations that exists between China and Africa and work towards dispelling any other negative reporting and perceptions in this regard."

-- Encourage the expansion of bilateral trade in a way that ensures a balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship. Strengthen consultation on bilateral trade issues in accordance with the principle of fairness, equality and mutual benefit.

The Chinese side will make use of the China-Africa Development Fund to encourage Chinese companies to invest in South Africa. South Africa will encourage Chinese companies to take up the investment opportunities that its growing economy and favorable investment environment offer.

China will provide concrete support as well as requisite resources to cooperate with South Africa in human resources development, poverty eradication, employment, rural development and the creation of infrastructure.

-- Maintain communication and collaboration in the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and other international organizations, and fully coordinate each other's positions on major issues such as development and poverty reduction, regional conflicts, South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue and formulation of multilateral trade rules.

The two countries will cooperate in promoting a new type of strategic partnership between China and Africa under the guidance of the Declaration of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation-Beijing Action Plan.

-- The two sides will agree on an appropriate program of cultural, economic, social, sport, diplomatic and academic events during 2008 to celebrate 10 years of diplomatic relations between South Africa and China.

In the communique, South Africa reaffirmed its commitment to the one China policy, recognizing the government of the People's Republic of China as "the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China" and that Taiwan is "an inalienable part of the Chinese territory."

South Africa is the sixth leg of Hu's current eight-nation African tour, which has already taken him to Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia and Namibia. He will also visit Mozambique and Seychelles.

Editor: Yan