China values cooperation with African nations: top legislator

Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo said Friday in New York that developing relations with African countries is a basic stand of China's foreign policy.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC), made the remarks during a meeting with South African National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete.

Their meeting was held on the sidelines of the Second World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments, a three-day gathering due to conclude later Friday.

China and South Africa have a profound traditional friendship, and bilateral ties have developed rapidly with good momentum, Wu said.

"Developing relations with African countries, including South Africa, is a basic stand of China's foreign policy," Wu said.

"The Chinese NPC attaches importance to its ties with the South African parliament and stands ready to elevate the level of bilateral exchanges and make the communication and cooperation between the two sides regular and institutional, so as to infuse fresh vitality into Sino-South African relations."

Mbete said she agreed with Wu's appraisal of the bilateral ties and his proposals for stronger parliamentary exchanges.

She said that developing ties between the two countries and the two legislatures is very important and that the South African parliament wishes to have further consultations with China on the establishment of a mechanism for regular parliamentary exchanges to jointly advance the in-depth development of South Africa-China ties.

Source: Xinhua