South Africa's Deputy President Paul Mashatile held talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Johannesburg during the G20 Leaders' Summit, pressing ahead with bilateral efforts to boost trade flows and channel investment toward manufacturing, green power, and technology sectors. The discussion underscored Pretoria's ambition to expand exports of higher-value products while embedding domestic companies within international supply networks, a strategy aimed at generating employment for young South Africans facing joblessness rates exceeding 45 percent. China pledged accelerated implementation of zero-tariff arrangements for South African exports, potentially lowering costs for agricultural goods and minerals entering Chinese markets.
Mashatile expressed appreciation for Beijing's financial backing of the G20 presidency, which totaled more than R42 million and helped stage the gathering of 42 nations at the Nasrec Expo Centre. The partnership, already responsible for bilateral commerce surpassing R500 billion annually, will advance through scheduled diplomatic meetings in Beijing this December and Johannesburg next March, reinforcing economic coordination between the two governments.
Mashatile expressed appreciation for Beijing's financial backing of the G20 presidency, which totaled more than R42 million and helped stage the gathering of 42 nations at the Nasrec Expo Centre. The partnership, already responsible for bilateral commerce surpassing R500 billion annually, will advance through scheduled diplomatic meetings in Beijing this December and Johannesburg next March, reinforcing economic coordination between the two governments.
