"Both sides vowed to deepen the political partnership and business cooperation for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes," said Hu at a joint press conference on the sixth leg of an eight-nation tour of Africa.

"We agreed to further lift and uplift the China-South Africa strategic partnership to a new higher level."

China is keen to tap into Africa's abundant natural resources to feed its economic growth but it has faced accusations of being too willing to turn a blind eye to the excesses of regimes, such as Sudan, as well as using Africa as a dumping ground for cheap goods, particularly textiles.

While bilateral trade between South Africa and China has surged in recent years, the balance remains heavily tipped in Beijing's favour, with South Africa exporting around 1.2 billion dollars worth of goods a year to China while the level of imports is worth 4.35 billion dollars.

Hu's trip has been marked by pledges of both grants and loans to impoverished countries such as Liberia designed to demonstrate Beijing's good intentions, which Hu said would be honoured "to benefit the African people."

And in a brief address before an evening state banquet, he pointedly said others should be doing more for Africa.

"The international community should be more involved in Africa's development," he told assembled guests.

For his part, Mbeki said that he welcomed the growing levels of trade and of closer political links given South Africa's recent assumption of a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

"China indeed is one of our most critical economic partners globally. China is a permanent member of the Security Council and plays an important role globally ... on political issues, security matters and all that," said Mbeki.

Mbeki said the growing ties would give South Africa "ready and immediate access to the Chinese leadership as we (as a security council member) respond to these global challenges."

In his address before the banquet, Hu said he wanted to see Africa's influence in the UN extended.

"China always believes that Africa is an important force in international affairs. We are committed to increasing representation of Africa at the UN Security Council," he said.

Beijing and Pretoria have closely cooperated in pushing the agenda of developing nations in forums such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation.

Both favour a revamp of the UN and greater market access and tariff-free trade for developing countries striving for more concessions from wealthy nations.

Hu, making his first visit to South Africa as president, was accorded a 21-gun salute and greeted by the entire South African cabinet as he arrived at the seat of government after flying in from neighbouring Namibia.

South Africa has stood by China in the face of criticism that Beijing is only interested in plundering Africa's mineral and oil wealth and is dumping cheap and shoddy goods here.

Mbeki has previously stated that China will not "replicate the historic colonial economic relationship in terms of which Africa served as a source of raw materials and a market for goods manufactured in the countries of the colonisers."

Hu started his swing through Africa in Cameroon, going on to Liberia, Sudan, Zambia and Namibia. From South Africa, he travels on to Mozambique and the Seychelles.

earlier related report
Hu Wraps Up Namibia Visit
Windhoek, Namibia (AFP) Feb 06 - Chinese President Hu Jintao wrapped up a brief visit to Namibia, the fifth stop on a sweep through Africa, Tuesday by meeting the country's founding father Sam Nujoma and local Chinese business leaders.

Hu headed to the airport after his morning meetings to fly to neighbouring South Africa where he will be hosted by President Thabo Mbeki during a two-day stay.

The Chinese leader signed agreements on Monday evening with his Namibian counterpart Hifikepunye Pohamba, extending a grant of 4.1 million dollars and a soft loan for the same amount.

The two sides also inked pacts on economic and technical cooperation and boosting group tourism from China. Part of the Chinese grant was meant to be used to build two schools.

Namibia is a significant source of minerals for China, and has been exporting uranium oxide since 2004.

In a statement on Monday, Hu underscored that China was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with Namibia, a one-time German colony which gained independence from South Africa in 1990 after a lengthy civil war.

Despite stepping down as the country's president in 2005, Nujoma remains the leader of the ruling South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO), a post he has held since its inception as a guerrilla movement in the 1960s.

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