China, South Africa sign deals worth $6.5 billion

President Jacob Zuma says South Africa and China have signed 26 agreements worth R94 billion.

South African state owned enterprises including Eskom, Transnet, the Industrial Development Corporation, SA National Space Agency and the SA Nuclear Corporation also signed deals with Chinese institutions.

He believed there would be one or two significant state investments, probably in power, agreed upon during Xi’s visit.

It is the first time South Africa plays host to the summit to take place on Friday and Saturday, this week.

But on Wednesday, Gigaba said the Ebola virus in Africa was partly to blame for the drop numbers of Chinese tourists visiting South Africa rather than visa requirements.

This historic meeting of the world’s leading economy and Africa is expected to elevate China-Africa relations to a new level.

Before the visit, Mugabe said he highly expected this visit to bring more co-operation projects and exchange programs, which he said would help with the economic independence of Zimbabwe, which has long suffered from inflation and sanctions.

China and South Africa should strengthen partnership in various aspects, Xi noted, calling on the two countries to be forward-looking strategic partners with strong mutual trust, development partners pursuing equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, friendly partners who understand and learn from each other, and global partners who support and coordinate closely with each other. Africa has become China’s second-biggest overseas market for contracted engineering services, Qian said. It (Focac) will be a historic event. “China and Africa have always shared a common future”, he said. Recently, Xi pledged $100 million in aid to the African Union to support the building of a standby force – a sign of growing Chinese influence in the region.

The Focac summit will be held on December 4 and 5.

Many were surprised when Chinese President Xi Jinping suddenly, and at nearly the last minute, chose to go to Harare on an official visit this week, as this trip was not on his diary earlier in the year.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is travelling to South Africa this week, where he will also meet Xi, his office said in a statement.

Numerous African heads of state have confirmed attendance.

In Zimbabwe’s capital city Harare, Xi and Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe – who has been internationally criticized for failing to curb human rights abuses in the country – held talks and oversaw the signing of 10 agreements and memorandums of understanding covering energy, aviation, telecommunications and investment promotion deals to shore up Zimbabwe’s floundering economy.