Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Alvin Botes, has reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to deepening its partnership with China, describing the relationship as “strategic, principled, and moral.”
Botes delivered the keynote address at the “Shared Blueprint, Common Development Global Dialogue” held on Monday, 27 October 2025 at the University of Johannesburg (UJ). The event was hosted by the China Media Group Africa Bureau in collaboration with UJ.
The dialogue brought together senior officials and diplomats, including Shen Haixiong, Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee; Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Science and Technology; HE Mr Wu Peng, Chinese Ambassador to South Africa; and Professor Phaswana Mafuya, UJ’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation.
Honouring Oliver Tambo and Shared History
In his address, Botes noted that the event coincided with the 108th birthday of Oliver Reginald Tambo, a key architect of South Africa’s democratic foreign policy. He said Tambo’s legacy of Pan-Africanism, solidarity, and multilateralism continues to shape South Africa’s engagement with the world.
“The spirit of Bandung and the legacy of Tambo are woven into the fabric of South Africa–China relations,” Botes said, referencing the 70th anniversary of the 1955 Bandung Conference, which united newly independent Asian and African nations in the pursuit of sovereignty and cooperation.
A ‘Golden Era’ of Cooperation
Reflecting on the evolution of bilateral ties, Botes highlighted the steady strengthening of relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1998.
The partnership was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2010, and further upgraded in 2024 to an All-Round Strategic Cooperative Partnership in the New Era — the first of its kind between China and an African country.
Quoting President Xi Jinping, Botes described the current period as a “golden era” in bilateral relations, adding that both nations are working to advance sustainable, inclusive, and innovation-driven growth.
“China’s experience in high-quality industrialisation complements South Africa’s technological capacity and natural resource base,” Botes said. “Together, we can deepen Africa’s industrialisation and regional value chains in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.”
While noting that China remains South Africa’s largest trading partner, Botes acknowledged the trade imbalance between the two countries and emphasised government’s commitment to addressing it.
“Our focus is to expand exports, promote beneficiation, and ensure trade translates into jobs, technology transfer, and inclusive growth — particularly within Africa’s green and digital transitions,” he said.
He also welcomed further cooperation in key sectors such as energy, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, green technology, and sustainable agriculture.
Botes used the platform to stress the importance of multilateralism in an increasingly divided global landscape marked by “geopolitical fragmentation, trade weaponisation, and economic nationalism.”
He said both South Africa and China advocate for reforms of global institutions such as the United Nations, the G20, and the expansion of BRICS and FOCAC (Forum on China–Africa Cooperation).
“Together, we demonstrate that the Global South can articulate its own vision of progress and justice,” Botes stated.
Looking Ahead: Shared Prosperity and Transformation
As South Africa prepares to host the 9th South Africa–China Bi-National Commission in 2026, Botes said the focus will be on strengthening collaboration in trade, innovation, and green growth.
He pointed out that 2025 marks several key milestones — including 35 years of China–Africa engagement, 25 years of FOCAC, 70 years of the Freedom Charter, and 80 years of the United Nations — all of which underscore the historic depth of cooperation between the two nations.
“Our partnership is not transactional but transformational,” Botes concluded.