On June 21, 2006, Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council arrived in Cape Town, legislative capital of South Africa, on an official visit to this country at the invitation of South African President Tbabo Mbeki.

South African Foreign Minister Dlamini Zuma greeted Wen at the airport. In his written speech delivered at the airport, Wen said that Chinese people stood side by side with South African people in their struggle against racial segregation and both peoples have established a profound friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1998, the two countries have conducted frequent high-level exchanges with mutual political trust growing continuously and have carried out effective cooperation in the areas of politics, economy, culture and international affairs. Bilateral strategic partnership has been deepened steadily.

Wen said that he was visiting South Africa to further consolidate bilateral friendship, build up mutual political trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and seek common development. During his visit, he will exchange in-depth and extensive views with President Mbeki and other South African leaders on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest and discuss approaches for closer cooperation of mutual benefit with South African business friends. He was willing to take this opportunity to gain a better understanding of South Africa's economic and social developments and learn from its experience. He believed that with the joint efforts of both sides, this visit would achieve positive results and help bring a better future to bilateral relations.

Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Liu Guijin, the staff of the Chinese Embassy and representatives from Chinese-funded institutions and overseas Chinese welcomed the Chinese Premier at the airport.

Later, South African President Mbeki headed the cabinet ministers to hold a grand welcome ceremony in the Presidential Palace. The military band played the national anthems of the two countries and a 19-gun salute was fired.

South Africa is the fifth leg of Premier Wen's seven-nation African tour. He has already visited Egypt, Ghana, the Republic of Congo and Angola. After his visit to South Africa, he will also continue to visit Tanzania and Uganda.