On January 20, 2003, South African President Thabo Mbeki met with visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Lanqing at the presidential palace in Pretoria.

Mbeki gave Li a warm welcome, believing that his visit to South Africa will further promote the friendly exchange and cooperation between South Africa and China.

Li conveyed to Mbeki the cordial greetings by President Jiang Zemin and the congratulations by General Secretary Hu Jintao on his being re-elected the President of South African National Congress. Mbeki expressed his thanks, asking Li to communicate his best wishes to President Jiang and his congratulations on Hu's being elected the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Li positively evaluated the relationship between the two countries. He said that the year 2003 marks the fifth year of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa. He noted that bilateral cooperation in various fields has enjoyed rapid development in the past 5 years, from which both sides have benefited. It must be especially pointed out that the successful mutual visits between President Jiang Zemin and His Excellency Thabo Mbeki have helped to establish the partnership relations between China and South Africa, which has laid a solid foundation and opened up a broad prospect for bilateral cooperation. He went on to say that China places importance on South Africa's important role in the African and international affairs, adding that China is ready to further strengthen all-round friendly cooperation with South Africa.

Li briefed Mbeki on the follow-up activities of the Forum on Sino-African Cooperation. He emphasized that China attaches great importance to the proposals put forward by Mbeki that cooperation should be conducted between the Forum on Sino-African Cooperation and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). He noted that the Forum and NEPAD share common goals of expanding cooperation and promoting common development, adding that the two mechanisms can give impetus to each other and China is willing to strengthen coordination and consultation with South Africa in this regard.

Mbeki congratulated on the successful convocation of the 16th CPC National Congress and the great achievements of China's reform and opening-up policy. He said that, as a friend of China, South Africa has been following China's development very closely, hoping that South Africa can learn from China’s success stories. After its entry into WTO, China has fulfilled his liabilities, handled challenges in a poised manner and achieved gratifying results. South Africa hopes that the two countries can further cooperate with each other within the WTO framework, and that building on previous successes, bilateral relationship will be even more consolidated and developed.

As to Sino-African cooperation, Mbeki said it is crucial for South Africa and other African countries to have China participate in the process of Africa's development. Noting that some specific NEPAD projects are under way at present, he said African countries are willing to cooperate with China in water resources development and other infrastructure areas. He also expressed the belief that both NEPAD and the Forum on Sino-African Cooperation will play active roles in Africa's development and renaissance.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Iraqi issue and the North Korea nuclear issue.