After the agreements were signed President Hu and South African President Thabo Mbeki said they would boost economic ties between the Asian giant and Africa's biggest economy.

Although many African governments welcome closer ties with Beijing, analysts say the continent's poor countries must examine deals with the Asian economic powerhouse and protect weak manufacturing sectors from cheaper Chinese imports.

President Mbeki said he and President Hu were working for a speedy end to the Darfur crisis based on a UN Security Council resolution to deploy a 22,500-strong UN peacekeeping force to Darfur.

David Monyae, an international relations lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, said South Africa was better placed for a mutually beneficial relationship with China than some of its poorer continental neighbours.

Monyae said China was a potential source of growth for several of South Africa's highly industrialized sectors but added: "Most African countries are negotiating with China from a position of weakness in all respects."

Reuters