South Africa is playing host to China’s State Councilor Yang Jiechi this weekend. Top of the agenda are preparations for the upcoming summit on Chinese and African Cooperation. Yang is also expected to meet President Jacob Zuma.

On a three-day official visit, State Councilor Yang Jiechi met International Relations’ Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. And they have a lot to discuss.

Leaders from across the African continent will meet with their Chinese counterparts for the Africa cooperation summit in Johannesburg in early December.

“We are continuing with our consultations which are part of the tradition that before a FOCAC — forum for Africa-China cooperation — such consultations will happen between host countries; this time it’s South Africa and China co-hosted in China. Now we will be co-hosting African countries in South Africa,” Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said.

Nkoana-Mashabane says the two countries picked up eight areas of economic cooperation.

“That starts from integration of infrastructure, build industrialization, benefication, cooperation in health, eradication of poverty, support from China to Africa on peace maintenance of peace and security in our continent. So these are just the many exciting things we think we can do with China,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.

China is South Africa’s largest trading partner.