Chairperson of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Gao Yan met with Paul Mashatile, Provincial Chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) in Johannesburg, South Africa on July 18. The two sides exchanged views on promoting economic and trade cooperation.

Gao Yan said, since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and South Africa, the bilateral relations have developed rapidly and comprehensively, and cooperation in various fields has been deepening. Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his South African counterpart Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa met in Osaka, Japan, and stressed the need to strengthen the "Belt and Road" Initiative and the match-making between the Eight Major Initiatives of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and the South African Government's plan of action for the next five years.

“CCPIT is willing to work with the ANC Progressive Business Forum to help Chinese and South African enterprises carry out more cooperation in manufacturing, investment, agriculture, infrastructure and other fields, promote the deepening, solid and far-reaching economic and trade cooperation to bring tangible benefits to the two peoples,” added Gao.

Paul Mashatile said, ANC has kept friendly contacts with the Communist Party of China for many years. South African government is facing multiple tasks, such as poverty eradication, job creation and economic development. Thus, the needs to strengthen cooperation with China is urgent.

“We hope to further cooperation with China under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative to improve infrastructure conditions in South Africa, especially in terms of power, natural gas, water resources supply, railways and rural power grids. We welcome the participation of Chinese enterprises in strengthening cooperation with South African enterprises in term of infrastructure construction, so as to achieve mutual benefits, common development and people’s well-being,” added Paul.