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His Excellency President Jacob Zuma will on Wednesday, 02 December 2015, host the President of the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency Mr Xi Jinping, on a State Visit to South Africa.

During the State Visit of President Jacob Zuma to China in December 2014, the two countries concluded the “Five-to-Ten Year Strategic Programme for Cooperation between the Republic of South Africa and the People’s Republic of China”. The two leaders will engage in bilateral talks where they will look at the progress made thus far on the Strategic Programme with specific reference to the six priority areas identified for 2015, namely:

•           Alignment of industries to accelerate South Africa’s industrialization process;
•           Enhancement of cooperation in Special Economic Zones (SEZs);
•           Enhancement of marine cooperation;
•           Infrastructure development
•           Human resources cooperation; and
•           Financial cooperation.

South Africa’s relations with China are at the level of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP). The Beijing Declaration on the Establishment of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership encapsulates all facets of South Africa’s relations with China, where China has committed to the respective developmental objectives. The focus of the State Visit will, therefore, be on economic and trade relations between the two countries.

Total trade between South Africa and China experienced an upward trajectory since 2009, growing from R118 billion to R271 billion by the end of 2013. While there is a trade imbalance between China and South Africa, both countries have implemented various mechanisms to address these discrepancies. These mechanisms include: the Inter-Ministerial Joint Working Group (JWG), RSA-PRC Bi-National Commission, Five-to-Ten Year Strategic Programme for Cooperation and the Strategic Dialogue.

A large number of agreements is envisaged to be signed during the visit, from Government, State Owned Enterprises and the Private sector in various fields of collaboration between the two countries.

South Africa will also present a Project Book to China which includes key sectors within the priority areas listed. The key sectors are, among others, energy, infrastructure, industrialisation and agriculture.

Issued by The Deparyment of International Relations and Cooperations