JOHANNESBURG

Chinese President Xi Jinping has held several bilateral meetings with African heads of state ahead of Wednesday’s summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Xi on Monday held talks with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is on a state visit to the Asian super power. The two countries later announced they were upgrading their bilateral relationship to an “all-round strategic cooperative partnership in the new era,” according to a joint statement.

The leaders agreed that their cooperative partnership will be underpinned by “strong political ties and focused on a prosperous future with balanced trade, and accelerated transformative economic growth.”

On Tuesday, Xi met Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and expressed readiness to work with him towards building more robust ties. The two countries established diplomatic ties more than 50 years ago.

The Chinese leader also held talks with Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, pledging to further strengthening their bilateral ties. ‘‘We aim to make our iron-clad friendship even stronger and more bust. This is what people in both countries would like to see,’’ a Chinese government statement said.

Xi also met Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheik Ghazouani, President Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi, Chad’s President Mahamat Deby, and Kenya's President William Ruto.