Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji arrived in Johannesburg Sunday evening for a working visit to South Africa, where he is going to attend the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).

During his stay here, Zhu is going to take part in the WSSD meeting of heads of state and government, slated from Monday to Wednesday.

The Chinese premier will make a speech concerning China's blueprint for sustainable development, according to the officials of the Chinese embassy here.

Before he left for Johannesburg, Zhu held talks in Cape Town with Frene Ginwala, speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa.

Zhu cited Ginwala as an old friend of China, who has made significant contribution to the advancement of Sino-South African relations.

He spoke highly of the bilateral relations and the exchanges between South Africa's parliament and China's National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Though China and South Africa set up diplomatic ties not long ago, the two sides enjoyed closer contacts and cooperation in every field.

The Chinese government highly values the development of Sino-South African relations and expects the partnership between the two countries will be advanced to a higher level in the new century, according to the Chinese premier.

"The Earth Summit is one of the United Nations' most important meetings in the area of development in the new century," Zhu said.

"I am going to make thorough exchanges of views with the leaders of South Africa and the rest of the world on the important issues such as the sustainable development," he said.

"China is ready to join hands with South Africa to make this summit a success," he added.

South Africa is the fourth leg of Zhu's four-nation Africa tour, which has already taken him to Algeria, Morocco and Cameroon.

( September 2, 2002)