SA and China: What next for relations between the two countries

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6月9日,南非规模最大、影响最大、历史最悠久的报业集团——Independent Newspaper Group (南非独立报业集团）刊发浙师大非洲研究院学者、南非资深外交家、前驻外大使格特·格勒布勒(Gert Grobbler)撰写的文章“South Africa and China: What next for relations between the two countries”（《中国与南非未来关系走向》）。

文章表示，自1998年建交以来，中南双方不断致力于加强全面战略伙伴关系，促进经贸合作，提高人民福祉，取得了许多丰硕的成果。南非拉马福萨总统也表示，通过抗击新冠肺炎疫情，中南双边关系更加牢固，中国是南非值得信赖和依靠的朋友，非洲大陆比以往任何时候都更需要中国的帮助。中国以实际行动发挥了负责任的世界大国作用，成为“维护全球稳定的力量”。

在文章中，格特大使认为，后疫情发展时代，中国和南非面临经济政治格局的复杂多变，地缘政治平衡的变化，全球经济的疲软等挑战，双方应加强合作，支持非洲的卫生治理，共同抗击新冠肺炎疫情，努力实现经济复苏，维护地区和平与安全，推动非洲《2063年议程》的落实。 

South Africa and China: What next for relations between the two countries

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Africa and China on 1 January 1998, and the creation of the  high level SA - China Bi-National Commission in  2000, China - South Africa cooperation has indeed grown from strength to strength, delivering many fruitful outcomes. 

The elevation of bilateral cooperation to the level of a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership“ in 2010 was a significant highlight which was defined by three key pillars, those being strategic, multi dimensional and mutually beneficial.

This constructive  relationship is underpinned by four important cooperation platforms, namely the Forum on China - Africa Cooperation, Brics, the Belt and Road Initiative, and South-South Cooperation. These platforms continue to bring concrete benefits to both countries and peoples.

China has been South Africa ‘s largest trading partner in Africa over the last decade. 

People to people exchanges have grown by leaps and bounds. SA and China also consistently maintain close coordination on international and regional affairs, jointly contributing to safeguarding world peace, promoting international governance reform and upholding the interests of developing countries and emerging economies.

Marking the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties between South Africa and China in 2018, Presidents  Xi Jinping and Cyril Ramaphosa were effusive in their praise for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership which “had made great strides and demonstrated a strong growth momentum in political trust, economic and trade cooperation, people to people exchanges and strategic coordination. "

It was also agreed “to accelerate the implementation of the agreements  reached and elevate the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the new era to a new level."

This was a message that also strongly emerged, prior to the onset of Covid 19,  from two recent “bilateral” meetings between Presidents Xi Jinping and President Cyril Ramaphosa on the occasion of the G20 Summit  in Osaka in June 2019 and during the BRICS Summit in Brasilia in November 2019.

In fact, President Ramaphosa stated at the time: “I firmly believe that the bilateral relationship between SA and China has never been on a stronger footing.” 

It was agreed  during these discussions that China and SA, as two major developing countries and emerging economies, “need to boost the economic development in their respective countries , improving the livelihoods of its people ia through enhanced strategic communication, shared experience in governance, support each others core interests and to synenergize development strategies”. 

A strong focus was placed by the two leaders on the expansion of two way trade and enhanced cooperation on industrial capacity building , infrastructure and advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative. 

President Ramaphosa viewed the outcome of these bilaterals "on the way forward" as of particular importance in view of the serious  economic challenges that face South Africa, in realizing its economic goals in the interest of “SA, Africa and  a better world". 

As both sides set out to pursue and  implement the  instructions by the two leaders to” elevate”  the cooperation in the context  of the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation” to the next level Covid 19  struck with profound ramifications for global health governance and wreaking havoc on the global economy.  

In fact President Ramaphosa stated that even after SA “turned the tide" against Covid-19, it will have to continue to confront a contracting economy with growing unemployment, a message which China took to heart.  

While China is gradually recovering and restoring its economy to full capacity, it is cognizant of the fact that Africa and South Africa are increasingly facing  formidable economic challenges.  

With the  virus raging  in Africa, China, while having dealt with  it's own prevention of the virus in a commendable and resolute manner , is increasingly sharing its experiences with Africa and is lending a timely hand to support the continent  including SA. 

China has, in fact, proved itself to be a responsible global leader, having  moved to the world’s centre stage with a hugely successful growth model and with an unwavering commitment to international cooperation  which has turned it into a “force for global  stability". 

Also during  recent  telephonic conversations between Presidents  Ramaphosa and Xi Jinping , it was  reaffirmed  that China and SA, as two major developing countries and members of the UNSC, BRICS and the G20, should step up  its strategic consultation and cooperation not only on a bilateral, but also on a multilateral level, as a result of the challenges flowing from the spread of Covid 19 globally, also on the African continent.

Thus apart from the anticipated enhanced economic cooperation between SA and China, the  rapidly evolving political and economic international landscape, shifting geopolitical balances of power and a weak global economy, in a post Covid world, will inevitably necessitate closer cooperation  between China and SA on:

Supporting Africa’s health governance and battle against Covid-19, its economic  recovery, sustaining the “silencing of the guns"  and Agenda 2063 also in an UN /G20 / multilateral context.

The strengthening of multilateralism and the democratization of global governance.

Addressing weakened global  economic growth with the gap between  rich and poor  widening , prospects of increasing trade protectionism and isolationism.

Global and regional security challenges  such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism.

Advancement of the critical issue of climate change

Based on the constructive outcomes of recent deliberations  between Presidents Xi Jinping and Ramaphosa , the” new level “ of cooperation on economic , people to people exchanges  and global governance will be characterized by stepping up consultation and coordination  in a  strategic , focused and results oriented manner by putting the mechanisms of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and Bi-National Commission to full use. 

Both governments agree that giving substance to the instructions of the two leaders would require ongoing consultation, joint planning and monitoring of progress with the involvement of business.

Given the reality of an increasingly volatile and uncertain world with ongoing global health governance issues, economic upheaval, looming global security challenges, and a  lack of global leadership, SA and Africa are bound to rely more heavily than ever before on its cooperation with its “friend in need" China. 

China has assured President Ramaphosa of its assistance in ensuring that ”we limit the damage to our economy, society and people and get our economy back onto a path of recovery.

浙师大非洲研究院抗疫专题荟萃链接：

来源| Independent Newspaper Group（南非独立报业）

编译| 沈虹

编辑| 孙崇斌

审核| 非洲研究院科研办

非洲情怀

中国特色

全球视野

长按关注

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浙江师范大学非洲研究院（IASZNU）是在教育部、外交部支持下于2007年成立的中国高校首个综合性、实体性非洲研究院，经十余年发展已成为有广泛影响力的中国非洲研究机构与国家对非事务智库，成为国内首个拥有非洲研究“长江学者”特聘教授的学术机构，是教育部区域和国别研究基地、教育部浙江师范大学中国南非人文交流研究中心、外交部“中非联合研究交流计划指导委员会指导单位”和“中非智库10+10合作伙伴计划”中方智库、教育部“中非高校20+20合作计划”单位、浙江省2011协同创新中心、浙江省新型重点专业智库。

      近年来，非洲研究院自2016年以来连续第四次入选《全球智库报告》“最佳区域研究中心”（大学附属），还先后入选中国社科院"中国智库综合评价核心智库榜单”、“南京大学中国智库索引（CTTI）”中国高校智库百强A+、《2018年中国智库报告》高校智库（特色）系统影响力排行榜第4、《中华智库影响力报告（2018）》高校智库影响力排行榜第9，等。

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Established in 2007, the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, is the first comprehensive and substantive African Research Institute based in China’s universities. In the decade since its founding, the Institute has remained focused on both producing influential academic output, as well as cultivating scholars in African Studies from both China and Africa, gaining reputation as a highly influential academic institution both at home and abroad. At the onset of its second decade, the Institute of African Studies intends to move towards a more regionalized, nationalized, distinctive and internationally oriented direction in its research. At the same time, the institute will continue to encourage young and upcoming scholars to conduct research, and provide them with the necessary support.

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L’IASZNU a été fondée en Septembre 2007 sous les auspices du Ministère de l’Éducation (MOE) et le Ministère des Affaires Étrangères (MFA). Parmi les Universités chinoises, c’est le premier Institut complet créé spécialement pour les études africaines. Après plus de 10 années de développement, l’IASZNU est devenue un Institut d’études et un Think Tanks très influent sur les affaires africaines en Chine qui possède un « Savant du Chang Jiang » des études africaines. Il est le Think Tanks chinois sur le  « Plan Think Tanks du Partenariat Chine-Afrique 10 + 10 » et un des établissements guides sur le « Plan de Recherche Conjointe et d’Echange Chine-Afrique » du Ministère des Affaires Étrangères. Il est sélectionné par le Ministère de l’Éducation pour « La Coopération Universitaire Chine-Afrique 20+20 », en tant que base principale pour des études du continent et des études spécifiques de pays. Il est également sélectionné par la Province du Zhejiang comme le Centre d’Innovation Collaborative 2011, la base de recherche de la Philosophie et des Sciences Sociales dans la province de Zhejiang. L’IASZNU a été classé parmi les meilleurs Think Tanks (affiliés à une Université) au monde pendant deux années consécutives, en 2016 et en 2017, par le Global Think Tanks Index publié annuellement par la Pennsylvanie Université. En 2018, l’Institut a été classé comme l’un des meilleurs Think Tanks affilié à une université en Chine avec le classement A + du système de classement chinois (CTTI).