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Minister visits China to strengthen relations

Foreign Affairs Minister Nko-sazana Dlamini Zuma will meet her Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi on Sunday as part of South Africa's drive to consolidate political, economic and trade relations with China.

Foreign Affairs Minister Nko-sazana Dlamini Zuma will meet her Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi on Sunday as part of South Africa's drive to consolidate political, economic and trade relations with China.

In China ministers Dlamini Zuma and Yang are expected to discuss the status of bilateral political and economic relations between the two countries.

"China has been identified as a key global actor with whom South Africa seeks to broaden relations in support of South-South cooperation - another key objective of South Africa's foreign policy," the Foreign Affairs Department said.

Last year China became South Africa's second largest import trading partner and sixth largest export partner. Exports amoun-ted to R14billion and imports reached nearly R47billion.

Since 2000, China's trade with Africa nearly tripled to about R276billion in 2005. Trade between China and Africa reached about R384billion last year, an increase of 40percent year on year.

South Africa is China's key trading partner in Africa, accounting for nearly 21percent of the total volume of China-Africa trade.

South Africa's exports to China consist mainly of raw materials such as aluminum, nickel, manganese, zirconium, vanadium oxides, chromium ores, and granite, platinum and gold.

China's exports to South Africa include mainly manufactured products, such as footwear, textiles, plastic products, electrical appliances, tableware and kitchenware. - BuaNews

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