Chinese President Xi Jinping and visiting South African President Jacob Zuma at a welcome ceremony in Beijing on December 4

If, as Chinese President Xi Jinping says, African countries are like running lions, South Africa is one of the leaders of the pride. The richest country in Sub-Saharan Africa has been strengthening ties with China, the second largest economy in the world, since the two countries established diplomatic relations in early 1998.

The relationship gained further momentum when South African President Jacob Zuma paid a state visit to China from December 3 to 5. During the visit, Zuma and Xi held talks and witnessed the signing of a series of documents, including the Five-10 Years' Strategic Plan on Cooperation (2015-24).

"The strategic plan is the most important achievement of President Zuma's visit," Lin Songtian, Director General of the Department of African Affairs of Chinese Foreign Ministry, told ChinAfrica. According to Lin, China and South Africa have made comprehensive plans in politics, economy, cultural exchange, security and international affairs for the next five to 10 years. "This pact is very important for the development of Sino-South African relations as it will enrich the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries," Lin added.

South Africa is the only African country to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership with China. "The partnership has also been intensified by the increase in high-level exchange visits in recent years," the official said.

This is not the first time that Zuma has paid a state visit to China. His previous visit in August 2010 saw the two countries establish the comprehensive strategic partnership.

Observers say boosting economic cooperation was one of the most important goals of Zuma's visit. He brought with him a delegation that included several ministers and about 100 entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs, mainly from the construction, energy, manufacturing and mining sectors, had face-to-face exchanges with their Chinese counterparts at the South Africa-China Business Forum held in Beijing on December 5.

"South Africa has a good story to tell of success since 1994 [when Nelson Mandela was elected South Africa's first black president] and the good and fruitful relations with China are part of that story," Zuma said at the forum.

China is now the biggest trading partner of South Africa, and South Africa is the biggest trading partner of China in Africa. In 2013, bilateral trade totaled $65.15 billion, up 8.6 percent year on year. 

"Sino-South African cooperation is an example of economic cooperation among emerging countries and is playing an active role in promoting an equal and reasonable international economic order," said Yin Yue, a scholar at the Institute of African Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

Yin said encouraging cultural exchanges was another focus of Zuma's trip. During Xi's visit to South Africa in early 2013, both presidents agreed to hold the Year of South Africa in China in 2014 and the Year of China in South Africa in 2015. During the Year of South Africa, a series of activities related to culture, films, tourism and education were held in different Chinese cities.

Lin said these cultural activities go a long way toward enhancing people-to-people understanding between China and South Africa.

"Holding the Year of South Africa in China is an important milestone in the history of bilateral people-to-people and cultural exchanges," Zuma said in his meeting with Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, on December 5. According to Zuma, the Year-of-South-Africa activities comprehensively demonstrated the achievements of the new South Africa to the Chinese. After the meeting, both attended and addressed the concluding event of the Year of South Africa.

 "Zuma's visit proved to be a great success and will surely make Sino-South African relations move forward," Lin said.