Date: 29/03/2007

Source: KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government

Title: Ndebele: Signing of Memorandum of Understanding between KwaZulu-Natal and Jiangsu province of China

Remarks by the Honourable Premier of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Mr Sibusiso Ndebele at the occasion of the signing ceremony between the province of KwaZulu-Natal and the province of Jiangsu

Honourable Party Secretary: Mr Li Yuanchao
Director-General: Mr Qui Zhongwen
Director-General: Mr Wang Hua
Consular-General of China Mr Lianyun Zhang
Members of the Executive Council
Members of the provincial and local government
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

Honourable Party Secretary, as a developmental province KwaZulu-Natal applauds the strong and growing relationships between China and South Africa.

In November 2006 the President of South Africa, Mr Thabo Mbeki advanced relations with China in the Beijing Summit on China-Africa co-operation. We have had senior leaders visit each other's countries recently at the highest possible level. At the Beijing Summit the common goals of peace, co-operation and development between China and Africa were strengthened.

Today we meet to reconfirm this commitment to a long and lasting relationship between our two countries as represented by the provinces of KZN and Jiangsu. We are stretching the hand of friendship across the seas into the vast country that is China. We have no doubt Jiangsu will find that coming to KZN also opens the way to the rest of Africa.

We in KZN are making the transition from a relatively underdeveloped province and we are developing rapidly towards a position of relative development.

Indeed, ours is a province on the move. Just like Jiangsu KZN is a major tourist destination of the country and a major coastal city in Africa. We are also a province steeped in great tradition and we are following your example in unearthing our heritage in order to expose it to the world to see.

According to statistics provided by the Tourism Authority of KZN for the year 2005, the province received a total of 11,6 million domestic visitors and 1,6 million international visitors. So our efforts are already bearing fruit but we are yet to reach Jiangsu's figure of more than 2 million visitors. In time we believe we will get there.

We have a great climate, the topography of undulating mountains and meandering valleys. In our natural parks we have the so-called Big Five of the animal kingdom which is one of the attractions visitors come to see. We also have the St Lucia wetland which has a variety of water-based animals which are not found elsewhere in Southern Africa.

We are passionate about our sport and have staged major events including the A1 Grand Prix. We will play our part in the Soccer World Cup in 2010 by hosting one of the semi-finals.

Our vision is to create a truly developmental state which places its people at the centre of economic development growth. As part of Africa we are aware of the infrastructure backlog that is required if we are to play a meaningful and active role in the global economy. We are addressing this challenge here in KZN with our massive infrastructure investment programme.

This investment in infrastructure involves the construction of an airport north of the city, the construction of a stadium, massive construction work at the harbour, the building of roads, hotels and other key assets in the province. We are pouring more than 7 billion into this economic activity because we are certain that this will unlock many other opportunities for us.

We will need the latest science and technology, finance and support to make this vision work. We are here today to learn; we do not want to reinvent the wheel but rather to learn from one of the fastest growing economies in the world. We can certainly learn from the Agrarian Revolution in China which has no equal in the world.

Our province is blessed with good rainfall which makes the agricultural sector an obvious choice for investment. Our province also boasts the largest and busiest ports in Africa, Durban Harbour and Richards Bay.

We can learn from the massive expansion of exports by China. We can learn from the commitment to hard work and enterprise that is currently driving the economy of China. We are humbled by the fact that your country is the first to meet the Millennium Development Goals and also be humbled by China's status as a superpower with a permanent seat in the Security Council.

We can assure you that KZN is the Gateway to Africa. The volumes of trade between KZN and the rest of Africa are growing at an amazing rate. Investors and exporters within KZN have taken advantage of South Africa's arrangement with the European Union and the United States of America. Now we are trying to concretise our relations and trade with China through Jiangsu Province.

The Memorandum of Understanding just signed provides for co-operation in the following areas: encouraging trade and investment exchanges, agriculture, infrastructure, industries, fishery, information technology and human resources training.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding must be accompanied by a technical follow-up whereby projects need to be discussed and finalised on the ground. We will start with a few projects in the core areas. As we gain experience and strengthen our foothold, we will then move to other areas and projects. This I believe will form a solid basis for a long and mutually beneficial relationship between our two provinces.

Enquiries:
Logan Maistry
Spokesperson to Premier Ndebele
Cell: 083 644 4050

Issued by: Office of the Premier, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
29 March 2007