President Hu Jintao left Pretoria Thursday for Maputo, capital of Mozambique, after a two-day state visit to South Africa.

 

During the visit, President Hu met South African President Thabo Mbeki on expanding mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

 

The nations agreed to strengthen political mutual trust and strategic consultation, enhance bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and maintain communication and collaboration in the UN, the World Trade Organization and other international bodies.

 

The two countries signed a number of cooperation documents during President Hu's visit.

 

On Wednesday, the Chinese leader delivered a speech in the University of Pretoria, explaining China's stance on enhancing China-Africa unity and cooperation in building a harmonious world.

 

China and South Africa set up diplomatic ties in January 1998. Since then, relations between the two countries have developed rapidly.

 

The two countries have established a strategic partnership and cooperated fruitfully in politics, trade and economy, science and technology, culture, education, tourism and human resources.

 

Hu is on an eight-nation tour of Africa that has already brought him to Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, and will also take him to Mozambique and Seychelles.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 9, 2007)