Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni announced during a briefing on Thursday, August 22, that President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to undertake a State Visit to the People’s Republic of China from September 2 to 5, 2024.
According to Ntshavheni this visit aims to further enhance diplomatic and trade relations between South Africa and China.
The upcoming visit follows President Xi Jinping’s fourth State Visit to South Africa in August 2023.
Ntshavheni said China remains South Africa’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching US$34 billion in 2023. This figure includes US$12 billion in exports from South Africa and US$22 billion in imports from China.
“China has also been a major contributor to South Africa’s investment drive and is the country’s largest source of foreign direct investment,” Ntshavheni said.
The Minister also highlighted that several significant agreements are anticipated to be concluded during president Ramaphosa’s visit.
These include a Framework Agreement on Development Cooperation, as well as discussions on trade balance and market access expansion.
In addition to the State Visit, a South African delegation will participate in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), scheduled from September 4 to 6, 2024.
FOCAC serves as a multilateral coordination mechanism between China and African countries and is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which focuses on global infrastructure development.
Ntshavheni’s briefing underscored the importance of these events in strengthening the bilateral relationship and advancing South Africa's economic and diplomatic interests on the global stage.
IOL