Chongqing, March 3 (ZXS) -- China (Chongqing)-South Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation and Exchange Conference was held in Chongqing on 23 March, where representatives from relevant government departments and industrial parks, business associations, enterprises and universities in Chongqing and South Africa discussed development opportunities and enhanced exchanges and cooperation around topics such as automobiles and motorcycles, mechanical and electrical, trade, agriculture, medical care, tourism, and vocational education.
South Africa is China's largest trading partner in Africa, and China has been South Africa's largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years. South African Ambassador to China Xie Shengwen said that up to now, more than 180 well-known Chinese enterprises have invested and successfully operated in South Africa. From the signing of bilateral cooperation agreements to people-to-people exchanges and the interaction of business and cultural delegations, the growing mutual trust and economic and trade ties between the two countries are indicated. South Africa has been creating a business environment conducive to trade and investment, and hopes to further strengthen economic and trade exchanges with China.
Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Chen Xiaodong said in his speech that China and South Africa have formed a total of 33 pairs of sister city relations, including Chongqing City and Mpumalanga Province, and various localities have also established a number of friendly exchange relations including Chongqing Municipality and Gauteng Province, Chongqing Yubei District and Buffalo City of Eastern Cape Province in combination with their own development needs and exchanges and cooperation, and China-South Africa local cooperation has gradually presented an all-round, multi-level and three-dimensional development pattern. The Chinese Embassy in South Africa actively supports economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between China and South Africa, and is willing to provide strong support and assistance to relevant local governments and enterprises, including Chongqing and South Africa, to further deepen exchanges and cooperation.
South Africa is the largest economic and trade partner between Chongqing and all countries in Africa. In 2022, the total import and export volume of Chongqing and South Africa will be 41.1 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 39.3%. Ran Yujia, second-level inspector of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce, said that South Africa is the country with the highest level of industrialization in Africa, and Chongqing is also famous for its industrial manufacturing industry, with strong industrial complementarity and wide opportunities for cooperation. It is recommended that the two sides actively build an exchange platform to promote trade reciprocity and expand two-way investment.
Zhang Yiqiang, director of the strategic investment department of Chongqing Agricultural Investment Group, said that Chongqing's unique topography has given birth to rich agricultural products. Chongqing Agricultural Investment Group is willing to connect Chongqing's characteristic agricultural products and food into thousands of households in South Africa. At the same time, South African high-quality products are welcome to enter China through Chongqing. It is hoped that the two sides will actively increase the volume of import and export cooperation in seafood, wine, sugar, beef and other products, explore opportunities for deep processing cooperation in dairy products, pork, beef, etc., and carry out equity cooperation around agriculture and food processing industries to promote win-win results.
At the exchange meeting, CCPIT signed a cooperation agreement with the Economic Department of the South African Embassy in China. With the support of the Embassy of South Africa in China, Chongqing will establish cooperation mechanisms with more South African economic and trade institutions and business associations to promote new breakthroughs in bilateral exchanges and cooperation. (End)