Visiting President Hu Jintao met with South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka in Pretoria on Wednesday for discussions on ways of deepening mutually-beneficial and practical cooperation between their two countries.

Mlambo-Ngcuka briefed Hu on South Africa's economic and social development and gave an account of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa.

South Africa attaches great importance to its relations with China and wants to strengthen its cooperation with the country in infrastructure construction, agriculture, mining and vocational training, she said.

Hu voiced his appreciation for the South African government's efforts to promote the country's economic and social development and said China supports the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa.

As both China and South Africa have their own advantages in resources, markets, technology and investment and their economies are highly complementary, there are broad prospects for bilateral cooperation, Hu said, noting that South Africa has become one of China's biggest economic and trade cooperation partners in Africa.

He said China will work together with South Africa to take practical measures to establish balanced and reciprocal trade relations between the two countries.

China is also ready to boost cooperation with South Africa in poverty alleviation, employment, rural development, infrastructure, skills training, capacity building and Chinese language teaching, Hu said.

Hu started a three-day state visit to South Africa on Tuesday after paying visits to Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia and Namibia. He will also visit Mozambique and Seychelles.

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2007)