Africa welcomes support from China in industrialization Africa welcomes modern win-win cooperation with Chinese enterprises that are shifting from simply extracting resources in the continent to supporting its industrialization, South Africas top diplomat has said. We would like Chinese companies to listen to what we think and what we want to achieve with our industrialization, for example through value-adding manufacturing, said Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, South Africas Minister of International Relations and Cooperation. South Africa is a mining country. If Chinese companies work with us to guarantee that 60 percent of raw materials are sourced locally and the products sourced in Africa, while training our young workers. Then it is a true win-win partnership, she added. The minister said enormous cooperation potential remains to be tapped in areas of energy and infrastructure between the two countries, adding that the country is planning to build a $30-billion high-speed rail connecting Durban and Johannesburg. Despite late entry into the global market, Chinese high-speed rail has advanced technology and dependable quality, she said. Nkoana-Mashabane, as head of the Joint Working Group on South Africa-China Cooperation, co-chaired the groups first meeting in Beijing last week together with Chinese Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng. The working group, with a focus on tapping potential of economic cooperation, was launched last September during President Xi Jinpings visit to Pretoria. As our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership grows, there is a need for us to establish a joint working group, including ministers of commerce, trade and foreign affairs, to coordinate, to unblock possible blockages, which might stand in our way of strengthening economic ties, Nkoana-Mashabane said.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 06:24:09 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015