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S. Africa learns from China in developing SEZs

Xinhua, May 11, 2016 Adjust font size:

South Africa will send a delegation to China to attend an Investment Seminar on the special economic zones (SEZs) in Beijing, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Tuesday.

The delegation, comprises a group of chief executive officers of existing industrial development zones (IDZs) and agencies hosting project teams for the proposed SEZs to be set up in South Africa, the DTI said.

South African participants will present at the seminar scheduled for May 12-13 opportunities that the country's SEZs and IDZs have as well as the incentives that are offered to investors in these zones, department spokesperson Sidwell Medupe said.

According to Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies, the visit to China by the group is part of the department's efforts to derive value from South Africa's cooperation with China on SEZs.

Last month, a group of 20 government officials left South Africa for the city of Tianjin, in north China to participate in a capacity building program on the SEZs.

"In addition, the visit serves as the implementation of the undertakings of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement (CSPA) signed between the two countries, and also the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in Johannesburg in 2015. China agreed to support South Africa and Africa's initiatives of industrialization," said Davies.

He added the DTI officials who will be travelling to China, led by the Deputy Director-General of SEZs and Economic Transformation, Sipho Zikode, will also hold discussions with the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The DTI and the NDRC are in the process of finalizing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at promoting cooperation on production capacity in various areas including industrial infrastructure, manufacturing development, mineral processing and industrial development support systems.

"China is one of South Africa's strategic partners. China's market remains a priority for South Africa's value-added products," Davies said.

"In addition, we need also to derive value from the cooperation with China on SEZs, particularly as we embark on our industrialization and beneficiation programs," he stated.

Davies expressed confidence that the visit of the officials to China would go a long way in accelerating the planning, implementation and coordination of industrial development-related projects between South Africa and China. Enditem