President Cyril Ramaphosa will host his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on a state visit this week.
The welcome ceremony will take place at the Union Buildings in Tshwane on Tuesday ahead of the 15th Brics summit at Johannesburg’s Sandton International Convention Centre from Tuesday to Thursday.
China is SA’s largest trading partner in the Brics trading bloc, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and SA.
Relations between SA, one of Africa’s largest and most diversified economies, and China are governed by a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), whose programme of action is set out in a Ten-Year Strategic Programme of Co-operation (2020-2029)”, according to the presidency.
It said the state visit will give the leaders and their delegations an opportunity to reflect on developments under the CSP and to consider “further deepening of co-operation”.
“The visit crowns deliberations in which the two governments have been engaging on implementing structures such as the Bi-National Commission, Joint Working Group, People-to-People Exchange Mechanism and Strategic Dialogue,” said the presidency.
“SA and China enjoy vibrant economic relations and China is SA’s largest global trading partner by volume.” China provides support on infrastructure development projects in SA including the small harbour development project, the TVET refurbishment project, and the Mzimvubu water project, “all of which are instrumental in job creation”.
Outcomes expected from the state visit include reaffirming the close and historic political ties between the two countries and highlighting the importance of sustainable foreign direct investment through supporting manufacturing, infrastructure, and beneficiation and “encourage close private sector engagement from both countries”.
Other expected outcomes are to enhance multilateral co-operation within the context of Brics, the G20 and to “seek Chinese support for SA and Africa’s call for the reform of global governance institutions, notably the UN Security Council”.
SA and China will also co-host China-Africa Leader’s Roundtable scheduled on Thursday, and also engage on co-operation at multilateral level, particularly at the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation.
Meanwhile, the Brics trade bloc accounts for 42% of the world’s population and 27% of global GDP and about 20% of international trade. The Brics economies accounted for about 21.3% of SA’s total trade with the world in 2022, of which China accounted for 67.6%, India 26.5%, Brazil 4.2% and Russia 1.7%, according to data from the Industrial Development Corporation.
SA’s overall trade with its Brics partners rose at an average of 10% from 2017 to 2021, according to international relations and co-operation minister Naledi Pandor. “Total SA trade with Brics reached R830bn in 2022 from R487bn in 2017. Trade with China remains the dominant force but the share of other Brics partners also increased by 10% from 2021 to 2022,” Pandor said.
From Sunday to Wednesday, the department of trade, industry & competition and the Brics Business Council will host a business programme seeking to foster economic growth, promote collaboration, attract investment, and showcase opportunities in SA, the rest of Africa and the Brics countries.
The programme will include dialogues pertaining to accelerating infrastructure development through government-private partnerships; development finance institutions funding instruments; and the oceans economy.
On Tuesday, parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating the fitness of suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane to hold office will consider her submissions and the adoption of final committee report.
Business Day reported previously that the section 189 committee recommended to the National Assembly Mkhwebane’s removal from office after being found guilty of incompetence and misconduct on a number of counts by the majority of committee members recently.
ANC, DA and ACDP members of the committee agreed at a meeting on Friday to support a recommendation to the National Assembly for Mkhwebane’s removal from office, but the EFF and Al Jama-ah opposed it.
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