Xi, Zuma vow to make China-Africa summit successful

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping and his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma on Friday vowed to make a China-Africa summit late this year a successful event.

The two countries announced Friday morning in Beijing that the sixth ministerial meeting of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation will be upgraded into to a summit, scheduled on December 4-5 in South Africa.

Heads of state of the two countries will invite African state leaders to the summit, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his South African counterpart Maite Nkoana-Mashabane jointly announced.

During a meeting with Zuma, President Xi said China will work with African countries for the success of the summit.

South Africa will also work hard to host a successful summit, said Zuma, who is in Beijing for activities commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people's war against Japanese aggression.

Xi said Zuma's attendance of China's V-Day celebrations on Thursday showed the South African government's and Zuma's own commitment to world peace and justice, as well as the China-South Africa ties.

Zuma said China had suffered great losses in the World Anti-Fascist War and made great contributions to the victory of the war.

The V-Day celebrations fully demonstrated China's resolution in safeguarding world peace and stability, Zuma said.

Xi said China-South Africa relations are in a period of opportunities as plans for bilateral cooperation in the coming five to ten years are being implemented. The 2015 "Year of China" events in South Africa further enhanced mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and South African people.

The two countries should strengthen coordination and implementation of cooperation plans to produce more beneficial results, Xi said, adding that the two countries should work closely to safeguard common interests of developing countries.

South Africa highly values its friendship with China and is trying to achieve results in planned cooperation deals, Zuma said.