BEIJING - China is willing to expand imports from southern African nations and encourage Chinese companies to invest in the region, Vice-Premier Wang Qishan said on Saturday.

While there are still many uncertainties with the global economic recovery, China and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) should strengthen their economic cooperation to help both achieve stable growth and advance the global economy, Wang said during the China-SADC Investment and Business Forum in Beijing.

Established in 1980, the SADC consists of 15 nations, including Angola, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia, that cover 33 percent of the area of Africa. The SADC was set up to stimulate trade and investment within the region and implement regional economic integration.