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The ANC's
Progressive Business Forum (PBF) yesterday (16 November 2009) returned from
Guangzhou, People's Republic of China, where it hosted a successful Tourism
& Trade Seminar over the period 12 - 15 November 2009. Over 80 South African
Businessmen and women accompanied the PBF.

ANC Treasurer General Mathews
Phosa and Minister for Social Development, Edna Molewa accompanied the
delegation. The CPC Vice Minister for the International Department, Li
Jingjun, as well as other senior officials from Beijing, the Guangdong
Province and City of Guangzhou also attended and addressed the seminar.

The
PBF worked closely with the China Economic Cooperation Council (CECC) and
the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) in
organising the event and for mobilising Chinese business delegates. The PBF
also entered into cooperation agreements with the two Chinese organisations.

The event was organised in a manner intended to empower South African
delegates in doing business in China and to introduce the Chinese
participants to the South African economy. Pre-arrangements were also made
whereby South African companies were introduced to appropriate and similar
Chinese enterprises for the purpose of exploring trade and investment
opportunities, and to introduce businesses to each other in order to
establish relationships between them, which could potentially lead to
mutually beneficial trade. In terms of the agreements entered into between
the PBF, the CECC and the CCPIT, companies can in future also work through
these organisations in order to make contact with like-minded
enterprises.

The PBF has been embarking on trade missions such as this
since November 2008 in order to give further practical content to the
bi-lateral trade agreements between the two countries. The primary intention
is to broaden the global footprint of South Africans in the developing
world, and to further promote South-South trade relationships.