A 21-gun salute, honour guard and parade of South African government ministers led by President Thabo Mbeki welcomed Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Hu started his two-day state visit to South Africa with talks with President Thabo Mbeki.
China is South Africa’s second-largest import trading partner and eighth-largest export partner.
This trade imbalance was likely to be high on the agenda, as was China’s increasing influence in Africa.
Mbeki previously voiced the concern that Africa needs to guard against allowing relations with China to develop into a ”colonial relationship”.
However, the South African government has often described China’s growing influence as an opportunity rather than a threat.
On Tuesday, China rejected criticism that it is on a ”new colonialist mission” in Africa, explaining that it aims to bring benefits to the people of the continent.
”We haven’t heard our African friends saying [China is new colonialist],” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu.
South Africa is one of the last stops on an African tour by Hu, during which he has visited Cameroon, Nigeria, Sudan, Zambia and Namibia.
He has yet to visit Mozambique and the Seychelles.
On Wednesday, Hu will deliver a keynote address at the University of Pretoria, visit the Cradle of Humankind world heritage site and hold talks with Chinese business and community leaders. — Sapa