Pretoria - Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Maria Ntuli says South Africa is interested in partnerships that will support economic development with China.
Speaking at a five-day World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China, Ntuli said South Africa beckons for Chinese companies that are interested in investing in the country.
"South Africa today is an emerging market in the world, and has a number of exciting trade and investment opportunities.
"We have a combination of a well-developed business support and dynamic investment environment that gives us a number of global competitive and comparative advantages and opportunities. As an open economy, we would welcome greater investment from China," said the deputy minister.
She said South Africa offered many opportunities and so does the sub-continent, particularly for upgrading existing or new investments in manufacturing across several sectors.
"We have launched the second phase of our industrial policy in a 3-year Industrial Policy Action Plan. The plan represents a significant step forward in strengthening our efforts to promote long-term industrial development and industrial capacity beyond our traditional strengths in commodities and non-tradable services," she said.
South Africa's Consul-General to Shanghai, Vika Khumalo, urged Chinese companies to consider investing in the South African aviation and aerospace industry.
"For South Africa, the development of our aviation sector has been essential for trading with other nations in Africa, as well as development of our domestic infrastructure where charter-flights have made access possible to otherwise remote destinations," said Khumalo.
