Ten Years of Diplomatic Relations: South Africa & China Stamp issue date: 24 April 2008 The year 2008 marks the tenth anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China. In celebration of this event, the South African Post Office issued a miniature sheet and commemorative envelope on 24 April 2008. Designed by the Philatelic Services Art Studio, the miniature sheet features the two official logos designed for the celebration by Zimele Ngxong and Paseka Mokhethea. The logos consist of the national flags of South Africa and the People's Republic of China. Bilateral diplomatic relations between South Africa and the People’s Republic of China were established in January 1998. Since then, political, economic, trade and multilateral co-operation has increased exponentially. Statistics show that China had become South Africa’s third largest trade partner in 2007, after Germany and the United States. South Africa is also China’s largest trade partner in Africa. China-South Africa trade volume was in excess of R80 billion in 2007. A China-South Africa Strategic Partnership was established in 2004 and a programme of cooperation on deepening the strategic partnership between the People's Republic of China and South Africa was signed in Cape Town in 2006. The past ten years have seen visits of heads of states between the two countries. During these visits, both sides hailed the current state of bilateral relations and reviewed with satisfaction the strong growth in political, economic, scientific, technological and cultural relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations. The two countries agreed to approach and promote bilateral ties from a strategic perspective, to maintain high level political exchanges, deepen cooperation across the board and to increase consultation in international and African affairs and working together to lift China-South Africa relations to a high level. During the state visit by President Mbeki to Beijing in November 2006 and the state visit to Pretoria by President Hu Jintao in February 2007, South Africa and the People's Republic of China have agreed that the relations between the two countries should be developed and expanded. To mark the 10th anniversary of China-South Africa diplomatic relations, the two countries agreed to sponsor or co-sponsor a series of events in 2007 and 2008. These events will include cultural performances, film weeks, art exhibitions, commodity fairs, cultural relics exhibitions, sports events, and exchange of visits between press, academic groups and youth and women. A series of celebrating activities under the theme of “South African Week” will be held in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong during 2008. |