Pretoria - Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Mzwandile Masina says Chinese and African countries are major players in the global economy and share a common vision of shaping the developing economies and the world at large.
He addressed the Business Forum held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, on Thursday.
The Business Forum was held under the theme ‘Cooperation for Common Development - Catapulting African Industrialisation as Part of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC)’.
Deputy Minister Masina said there is currently an intense work programme for infrastructure development across the continent.
“I suggest that our economic cooperation agenda extend beyond trade and investment issues,” he said.
He said China and Africa should work towards capacity building, skills development, infrastructure development, knowledge exchange initiatives and increased foreign direct investment, among other things.
Deputy Minister Masina said trade between China and Africa is expected to reach about R300 billion this year.
He said China became the largest trading partner in Africa in 2009.
Assistant Minister of Commerce in China, Liu Haiquan, said China and Africa need to accelerate industrialisation, as it is vital for human development.
He said Africa has become a continent of growing development. The Assistant Minister said industrialisation can be developed through the new Information Communication Technology (ICT) initiatives.
“China will exchange skills with Africa in terms of industrialisation,” he said.
Business Unity South Africa President Jabu Mabuza said opportunities presented by China-Africa cooperation are immense. He said Africa is looking forward to industrialising and modernising. - SAnews.gov.za
