Kimberly - China has committed to investing $2.8 billion in the Northern Cape during the signing of trade agreements between the Hunan Province and the Northern Cape on Tuesday at the start of Friendship Week between the two provinces.
The announcement was made during a media interview with the Executive Vice-Governor of Hunan Province, Chen Zhaoxiong.
The investment will be in the form of economic development including machinery, transport, infrastructure and engineering in the province.
It also includes an investment of $40 million in the Port Nolloth harbour.
Further details are expected to be released during a press conference on Wednesday.
The Chinese delegation in Kimberley also includes the Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy, Rong Yansong.
Northern Cape Premier Sylvia Lucas said during Tuesday’s opening of Friendship Week at the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre, that the event marked the “bringing together of business and political leaders from the People’s Republic of China and the Northern Cape to deepen our engagement that will unlock mutually beneficial business opportunities”.
Lucas pointed out that the ANC had a long-standing relationship with China.
“China remained our friend even during the difficult days of apartheid when the government of the day oppressed its non-white majority and denied them rights to live as humans in their land. Our Chinese friends stood by our side in our quest for liberation and for this reason we cannot and will never forget our friends,” said Lucas.
“Today South Africa is the People’s Republic of China’s largest trading partner in Africa. Since 2009, under the leadership of our President Jacob Zuma, stern inroads have been made in strengthening the relations between the two countries.
“The outcome is manifested in bilateral trade which has soared to $60 billion by 2012 from $1.5 billion in the late 1990s. Our undertaking to consolidate our relations with the People’s Republic of China and the Hunan Province in particular is mainly influenced by our common agenda of advancing development in countries to eradicate poverty, unemployment and inequality.”
“This Friendship Week will undoubtedly strengthen relations of equitable and mutually beneficial co-operation amongst all the stakeholders.”
Lucas pointed out that the Northern Cape offered investors opportunities in virtually every economic field, from agriculture to mining, manufacturing to tourism, infrastructure to fishing, and aquaculture to mariculture, while the province also held enormous potential in renewable energy resources.
“The fight against unemployment, job creation and economic growth is our central challenge; we want to have sustainable jobs for all our people. For this reason we constantly seek to propel the economy of our province into one which is innovative, inclusive and labour absorbing.
“With the newly-established University of Sol Plaatje and our urban and rural Technical Vocational and Education Training Colleges, we are raising the skills base of especially our youth to respond effectively to the social needs of our community.”
She stated that South Africa had solid bilateral and diplomatic policies and strategies that guided its co-operation with China.
“During the course of this engagement we will be signing Memorandums of Understanding with Hunan Province as a recommitment and dedication of our desire to work together in areas of co-operation, benefits and implementation strategies.
“I want to conclude by expressing the hope that our discussions over the next few days will be fruitful, that we will seize the opportunity to exchange best practices in mining, tourism, infrastructure, agro-processing and other sectors. Our goal is a common one and that is the development of our provinces and ultimately our countries. Let us therefore come up with innovative ways that will positively impact on investment in our respective provinces.”
The delegation will meet on Wednesday with the Sol Plaatje Municipal Manager, Goolam Akharwaray, to discuss development and economic opportunities, as well as the Department of Mineral Resources before taking a walk around the university. The day’s activities will end with a visit to a local lion park.
DFA