国内英语新闻:Chinese premier meets South African parliament speaker

BEIJING, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with visiting Speaker of the South African National Assembly Baleka Mbete here on Tuesday.

Li said China attached high importance to relations with South Africa. China is ready to enhance exchanges between the two governments, parliaments, political parties and people, and to implement a bilateral cooperation plan.

Citing the complementary nature of the two countries' economy, he said China is prepared to help South Africa increase its industrial capacity to aid its industrialization process.

China will encourage companies to invest in and participate in the construction of South Africa's special economic zone, and promote bilateral cooperation in areas including port construction, oil and gas exploitation, and fishing, according to Li.

The premier said China is also willing to import more products from South Africa.

Mbete thanked China for its support for Africa's development and in the fight against the ebola epidemic.

She said South Africa will expand cooperation with China, strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and welcome more Chinese companies and tourists.

Mbete is leading a delegation to visit China from April 3 to 9, at the invitation of top Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiang. This is Mbete's sixth China visit.