Pretoria – South Africa and China will on Monday sign an agreement that will open the way for the two countries to cooperate more in the fields of human resource development and employment services.
Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant and Chinese Human Resources and Social Security Minister Yin Weimin will sign the agreement on behalf of China and South Africa.
The agreement makes provision for parties to work together on strategies and programmes to improve employment services; labour inspection services; social security (Unemployment Insurance and Compensation of Employees), and employment programmes to meet the challenges of the labour market and globalisation.
The Chinese delegation, led by Yin, is expected to arrive in South Africa today. Later in the day, the visiting party is expected to meet with South Africa’s Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini.
On Monday, Yin will meet Minister Oliphant at Parliament Complex, 120 Plein Street, Committee Room 1 at 10.30am.
They will also sign the forms of cooperation agreement on the exchange of visits at ministerial level; exchange visits by senior officials; study tour groups in specialised fields; exchange of experts, who will do training courses and seminars, and exchange of knowledge on human resource development and employment services.
Yin’s visit to South Africa follows a similar visit by Minister Oliphant to China last August, where she went to Beijing's local Labour Inspection Bureau.
The Minister also visited the Tianjin Social Security Insurance Bureau to get first-hand experience on how the municipality implements best practices in the field of social security benefits.
Minister Oliphant witnessed how the Chinese’s Centre was able to manage one social security benefit scheme using a single card for unemployment insurance, old age pensions, workmen’s compensation, medical scheme, foster grants and maternity benefits, among others.
The Minister also visited the Public Employment Centre in Haidian District in Beijing. The centre provides employment services for the unemployed, including rural migrants. The unemployed, youth and people with disabilities are given services ranging from placements, career guidance to training.
China and South Africa are also members of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) economic bloc. – SAnews.gov.za
