SOUTH African President Thabo Mbeki will leave for China early next month to boost political and economic ties with the Asian country, a South African government official said on Wednesday. Deputy foreign minister Aziz Pahad said Mbeki is to visit China from December 9 to 12 and will be accompanied by South Africa’s foreign affairs and trade and industry ministers. “We hope the president’s visit will provide impetus for the private sector to explore opportunities. We are keen that the visit will also consolidate our political relations,” Pahad told reporters. South Africa initiated diplomatic ties with China in 1998 after dropping relations with Taiwan, which had been an ally of the former apartheid government. The relationship between South Africa and China has grown since 1998, Pahad added, saying South Africa would like to improve ties. Four of China’s five top leaders have already visited South Africa, including President Jiang Zemin, who was in the country in April last year. South Africa had a $37,5-million dollar surplus in trade with Hong Kong, but a $334,5-million deficit with China. We want to see how we can narrow the 3,3 billion rand (334.5 million dollar) deficit,” Pahad said. China’s direct foreign investment in South Africa is still relatively low, Pahad added. “We have to expose our people to each others greater potential. We have to create a political climate for the private sector and parastatals to interact with each other,” he said. “We don’t believe the Peoples Republic of China has sufficiently looked at the potential for greater foreign direct investment in South Africa,” he said. – AFP