South Africa values its relations with China and willwork together to address development challenges and strengthen China-Africa relations,the country's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said November 18.

The DIRCO denied a report by local news outlet Media24 that China withdrew anacademic honor to South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe after interferenceby President Jacob Zuma.

The report "is factually incorrect," the DIRCO said.

The DIRCO, as custodians of all international relations related engagements, hadinitiated the process, according to DIRCO spokesperson Clayson Monyela.

"But due to internal and diplomatic consultations not completed on time, apostponement was requested through diplomatic channels and granted," Monyela said.

He said that to insinuate the involvement of the President/ Presidency is inaccurate andcan only be malicious.

The Presidency also refuted the report which claimed Zuma and Motlanthe no longer work together, calling it "baseless" and "ridiculous."

Motlanthe led a South African delegation to Beijing to attend the 5th Bi-NationalCommission (BNC) between South Africa and China on Oct. 28-29.

In its statement, the DIRCO said relations between South Africa and China havedeveloped smoothly and rapidly.

Last year witnessed an important milestone in bilateral relations when South Africaassumed the Co-Chairship of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) for thenext six years, and will host the next FOCAC Ministerial Meeting in 2015, the DIRCOsaid.

Africa's relations with China are conducted within the framework of FOCAC.

"During its tenure South Africa will continue to ensure the advancing of South-Southcooperation and that special attention is given to the implementation of the AfricanAgenda," said the department.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1998, the relationship between South Africa and China has been growing fast. China is now South Africa's largest tradingpartner and a major investor in key sectors such as mining and financial services.

South Africa participates in various multilateral forums with China, including the G20and G77+China, BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), FOCAC, BASIC(referring to Brazil, India, China and South Africa in climate talks), etc, the DIRCO said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 18, 2013)