Parliament, Friday, 27 March 2026 – The Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza, today received the Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency Mr Han Zheng, on a courtesy call at Parliament in Cape Town.
The engagement took place on the margins of the 9th South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC), co-chaired by South Africa’s Deputy President, Mr Paul Mashatile, and Vice President Han Zheng, under the theme: “South Africa-China Relations in an Era of Global Transformation: Advancing Shared Modernisation.”
Speaker Didiza welcomed the Vice President and his delegation, underscoring the significance of sustained high-level engagements between South Africa and China, and reaffirmed Parliament’s support for the All-Round Strategic Cooperative Partnership in the New Era between the two countries.
She noted that the visit reflects the strong political trust, historical solidarity and shared development aspirations that underpin bilateral relations.
Reflecting on the longstanding ties between the two nations, the Speaker highlighted the historical foundations of South Africa-China relations, dating back to the Bandung Conference of 1955 and the support extended to African liberation movements. She further noted the evolution of cooperation through structured bilateral mechanisms, including the BNC, the People-to-People Exchange Mechanism and various sectoral dialogues.
The Speaker placed particular emphasis on the importance of strengthening parliamentary diplomacy, highlighting the role of the Regular Exchange Mechanism (REM) between the South African Parliament and the National People’s Congress of China. She reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to revitalising this platform and confirmed Parliament’s readiness to undertake an exchange visit to China later this year.
In advancing the parliamentary dimension of bilateral relations, Speaker Didiza also indicated that Parliament will explore the review of existing Memorandum of Understanding governing the REM to broaden participation and include the National Council of Provinces, in line with South Africa’s bicameral parliamentary system.
The Speaker further emphasised the importance of inter-parliamentary cooperation in strengthening democracy, enhancing oversight and fostering international collaboration. She welcomed continued cooperation between South Africa and China across key sectors such as trade, investment, infrastructure development and multilateral platforms, including BRICS and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which advances the interests of the Global South.
Speaker Didiza concluded that the courtesy visit serves to further consolidate relations between the legislatures of the two countries and deepen people-to-people connections, contributing to shared development and prosperity.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Enquiries: Moloto Mothapo, Parliament Spokesperson
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