CAPE TOWN - China is ready to strengthen cooperation with South Africa in new sectors such as 5G, digital economy, high-tech, e-commerce, smart cities and clean energy.
This was the message from Tang Chang’an, Acting Consul General of the Chinese Consulate in Cape Town, about how South Africa would benefit from a modern socialist China at a forum on Friday.
General secretary Xi Jinping in his speech mapped out the vision for the nation, the world’s second largest economy, for the next five years at the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party last month.
Tang addressed guests - mostly South Africans who had lived, worked and studied in the People's Republic of China.
The meeting themed “Impression of China and the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China,” was the first face-to-face event hosted at the consulate since the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.
He said last month’s congress drew a blueprint for China’s development and strategic plans which meant “new opportunities” to further strengthen China-South Africa relations against the backdrop of global instability and uncertainty.
“In 2021, two-way commodity trade exceeded US$ 54 billion. China is ready to strengthen practical cooperation with South Africa under BRICS and the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (Focac) and focus on cooperation in new sectors such as 5G, digital economy, high-tech, e-commerce, smart cities and clean energy.
“We are ready to work to see more projects under Focac’s nine programmes. China and South Africa are both important developing countries. We have the same or similar views on the international order and global governance.
Both countries have taken a neutral stance on the Russia-Ukrainian war.
He said China would continue to strengthen cooperation with South Africa and “safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries and our common interests.”
He said that China would fully support South Africa’s BRICS chairmanship next year. ”We will work to strengthen BRICS mechanisms and cooperation in various fields for more concrete results.”
The cooperation between the two countries “will produce greater synergy”. The CPC is ready to join hands with the ANC, the SACP and other parties in South Africa to explore development paths that are in line with our respective national conditions and to usher in a new era of China-South Africa cooperation and friendship.
He told the guests that they were examples of China-South Africa friendship, who contributed to the common prosperity of the two countries.
Director of Consular Affairs and Overseas Chinese Services Wang Qingquan shared Tang’s sentiment about China’s modernisation.
He said common prosperity was a long-term process which could not be achieved overnight. “China will not achieve its modernization through war, colonialism or plundering other countries or other means. China’s path is peaceful development, and we will continue to follow this path. There is no universal model of modernization in the world.
He said as China was firmly opposed to other countries imposing their models on it, similarly it encouraged other countries to explore their modernization.
“Chinese path to modernization is an opportunity for South Africa and the world. China is willing to support South Africa in exploring its modernization path that suits its national conditions, deepen cooperation in trade, investment, energy and other fields, support Chinese enterprises to invest and start businesses in South Africa, and expand the import of high-quality products from South Africa.”
Cheng Yuming who is also based at the consulate said China’s development would bring more opportunities to South Africa and other countries.
He told the young guest some of whom had studied in China that the “youth are an important force in building a shared future between China and South Africa.
“Our young people are the future of our country, we are the link between countries, and we are the future of China and South Africa’s friendship. Both being major developing countries, China and South Africa firmly uphold international fairness and justice and the common interests of developing countries. The hope of long-term friendship between the Chinese and South African people rests on the young generation."