On June 10, 2024 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor in Nizhny Novgorod.

Wang Yi congratulated South Africa on the smooth holding of the general election and the African National Congress (ANC) on continuing to play a leading role in South Africa's politics as the largest party. He expressed the belief that the ANC will remain true to its original aspiration and firm faith and continue to lead the South African people to make greater achievements in building a new South Africa enjoying unity, stability and prosperity. Wang Yi said that China and South Africa are comprehensive strategic partners and bilateral relations have maintained vigorous development and entered the "golden era" under the strategic guidance of the heads of state. Last year, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to South Africa and attended the BRICS Summit, during which he reached important common understandings with President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, ushering in a new era of building a high-level China-South Africa community with a shared future. The historic expansion of the BRICS mechanism in South Africa has further encouraged the Global South countries to seek strength through unity.

Wang Yi said, the two sides should strengthen high-level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust, jointly plan the next stage of bilateral institutional exchange activities, and continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests. China-South Africa cooperation, which is large in scale, wide in scope and high in level, has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples. China is ready to synergize the development strategies of the two countries based on each other's development needs and improve the top-level design of future cooperation. China attaches importance to South Africa's role as a major developing country, and stands ready to keep close multilateral coordination, make an objective, balanced and constructive voice on the Ukraine crisis and other hotspot issues, and contribute to world peace and stability.

Naledi Pandor said that last year, South Africa was honored to host President Xi Jinping and thanked China for supporting South Africa in successfully hosting the BRICS Summit. South Africa and China have maintained robust bilateral relations. Chinese enterprises continue to play an important role in South Africa's economic growth. The two sides have maintained close people-to-people and cultural exchanges and smooth cooperation in various fields. South Africa not only attaches great importance to its relations with China, but also attaches great importance to Africa's cooperation with China and the role of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Cooperation with China is the most important part of Africa's international cooperation. Naledi Pandor looks forward to China strengthening cooperation in such fields as infrastructure, digital economy, renewable energy and human resources development in light of Africa's development needs, so as to contribute to Africa's stable development. South Africa highly appreciates China's efforts in the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and the ceasefire in Gaza. Naledi Pandor expressed the readiness to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in BRICS, G20 and other multilateral platforms to ensure the steady and smooth development of relevant mechanisms.