China’s ambassador to South Africa, Wu Peng, wants to see South Africa expand and diversify its exports to China to meet the consumer needs of the Chinese population.
The balance of trade between the two countries currently favours China, but Wu said he would like to see more South African goods exported to China and that expansion should extend beyond agricultural products into other areas.
Wu’s statement came on the heels of recent news reports that China’s giant automaker, Chery, is considering opening a factory in South Africa.
China seeks increased South African exports
Additionally, a deal was recently signed to establish a solar panel assembly plant in Nkangala, Mpumalanga, next year.
China has been South Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 years in a row and South Africa has been China’s largest trading partner in Africa for 15 consecutive years. Wu said.
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China and Africa account for one-third of the world’s population.
He said China-Africa cooperation is an example of equality and win-win cooperation among global south countries.
In recent years, China and South Africa had worked together to promote the expansion of Brics and to support the African Union in joining the G20 summit.
Ambassador firmly supports SA’s G20 presidency
The ambassador said China firmly supports South Africa’s G20 presidency and is looking forward to next week’s G20 summit, where a strong voice of the global south on global governance should be sent out.
At the event, Wu signed an agreement with the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) deputy vice-chancellor, Prof Refilwe Mafuya, for the establishment of a thinktank called the Institute for the Study of Chinese Modernisation at the UJ’s Centre for Africa-China Studies.
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