JOHANNESBURG , July 20 (Xinhua) -- South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday that his recent official visit to China has successfully cemented bilateral ties.
Ramaphosa, who was accompanied by a high-powered delegation of government officials and business leaders, has just returned from a visit to China which lasted from July 13 to July 17.
In a statement released by the Presidency, Ramaphosa said the visit has created positive partnership prospects for the future.
China will continue to work with South Africa in implementing the five to 10 year strategic programme of cooperation signed during South African President Jacob Zuma's state visit to China in December 2014, he said.
The two countries also agreed to implement six priority areas to help South Africa in its economic development programmes, the Presidency said.
"China will assist South Africa to advance its industrialization process , develop its special economic zones and to fast track its infrastructure build programme.
"It will further help South Africa to develop its oceans economy, develop its human resources and access development finance," Ramaphosa's spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said.
South Africa will also be able to send its civil servants, government officials and business leaders for training at the Chinese Academy of Governance, said Mamoepa.
China has also agreed to provide South Africa with expertise of managing the state owned enterprises (SOEs), he said.
"This aims to enhance the capacity of the state to position SOEs to drive the industrialization and unlock private sector investment between the two countries.
"This builds on the strong relationship that already exists between South Africa and China SOEs ," Mamoepa said.
Chinese companies approached by Ramaphosa during this visit also undertook to provide training opportunities to South African students who want to pursue different careers, he said.
Mamoepa said, "This included a firm offer from Huawei to support a five-year ICT (information and communication technology) training programme for 1,000 South African students aiming to pursue a career in technology and innovation."
Critical institutions visited by Ramaphosa and his high-powered delegation while in China included Beijing Economic Technological Development Area, Chinese Academy of Governance and private companies.
"The bilateral discussions focused on trade and investment cooperation, financial cooperation including the BRICS New Development Bank , infrastructure development, energy, vocational training and South Africa's hosting of the Forum on China-Africa cooperation (FOCAC) later this year," said Mamoepa.
LAGOS, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff,Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai , has charged troops in the restive northeastregion to always be alert as there was no time to rest yet.
Buratai, who gave the charge while addressing troops of the 3Division Tactical Command in Damaturu, capital of Yobe State onWednesday, said there are more tasks to be done in the effort toclear the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists.
He advised the troops to work closely with other securityagencies to ensure that the remnants of Boko Haram were flushed outof the region.
The military chief told his audience that the territories hadbecome desperate to remain relevant, hence they had resorted toattacking isolated locations and kidnapping for ransom.
Buratai said although the terrorists had been flushed out of thestate, some remnants were still attempting to use the state astransit point , adding that the cooperation of everyone was requiredto check their activities.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Army has called on citizens to volunteeruseful information to assist the military succeed in thecounter-insurgency campaign.
In a statement made available to Xinhua in Lagos, Defensespokesperson Maj. Gen. John Eneche called on Nigerians to provideveritable information to fast track the counter-insurgencyoperation in the North-East.
Eneche stressed that such information is imperative to identifyinsurgents sleeper cell' locations, concentration camps andout-post locations.
The army also called on members of the public to exposeinsurgents' collaborators and informants as well as suspicioushabitation in urban and rural areas. Enditem
SEOUL, April 18 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's automobile exports rose for two months in a row despite weak demand in the domestic market, a government report showed on Tuesday.
Auto exports gained 4.1 percent from a year earlier to 4.12 billion U.S. dollars in March , according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The number of cars exported in March declined 5.1 percent to 248,618 units, but strong demand for large-sized, premium cars boosted the value of car exports.
Car sales in the local market declined 2.9 percent over the year to 168,990 units in March. Imported car sales here tumbled 10.8 percent , while sales of cars, made by local automakers, shed 1.4 percent.
Auto production declined 2.7 percent to 406,897 units last month.
Auto parts exports fell 3.4 percent to 2.2 billion dollars as local automakers reduced production in overseas plants.
TOKYO, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will reportedly dissolve the lower house of parliament and call a snap election on Sept. 28 when parliament is scheduled to convene for an extraordinary Diet session, local media quoted ruling party sources as saying Thursday.
According to Kyodo News , Abe, however, will not deliver a policy speech or deliberate issues on his speech or issues pertinent to the ruling party, including ethical ones, that have plagued the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), of which Abe is also president , and is also under fire for.
The opposition camp has e.