BEIJING, June 10 -- Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun met with the visiting Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) General Rudzani Maphwanya in Beijing on June 10, 2025.
Admiral Dong Jun praised that the traditional friendship between China and South Africa has endured over time and forged a special bond of "comrades and brothers" through the tests of the international situation. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of the two countries, cooperation between the two militaries in various fields has flourished. "China is willing to work with South Africa to practice the true multilateralism and jointly oppose the hegemony, bullying, power politics, and division and confrontation," stressed Admiral Dong, adding that both sides should enhance exchanges, strengthen strategic communication, optimize cooperation mechanisms, expand pragmatic cooperation, promote a deeper, wider mil-to-mil relations, so as to contribute more to building a high-level community with a shared future for China and South Africa.
General Maphwanya appreciated the Chinese military's long-standing strong support and assistance to the SANDF. "South Africa highly values its relations with China and firmly adheres to the one-China principle. The militaries of South Africa and China enjoy long-term friendship and are sincere friends and partners," he stated, adding that South Africa is willing to work with China to strengthen practical cooperation in such fields as joint exercises and training, military education, personnel training, and maritime security, and continuously improve the level of military cooperation.