Pretoria – The People’s Republic of China remains a crucial partner in achieving South Africa’s economic goals, Action SA’s Gauteng provincial chairperson Bongani Baloyi said.
Speaking at a symposium hosted by the Consulate of China in Joburg on the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Baloyi said unlike in South Africa, the leadership in Beijing is implementation-oriented, and have a clear history of significant deliverables.
“As one goes through the report of 20th CPC Congress, you also see (the achievements) reflected in the substance. The substance says, we have done the following but while we reflect here in the country, it is always a statement of intent… We will, we endeavour to… These are some of the subtle differences that speak to the issue of leadership, a committed leadership and a focused party that is serious about the commitments it made at its congresses,” said Baloyi.
“The People’s Republic of China therefore remains a key partner in achieving South Africa’s economic goals, and helping to improve the lives of ordinary people. Our two countries have enjoyed a long relationship of mutual trust, co-operation and exports between our two countries grew by over 13% a year from 1995 to 2020.
“China has been South Africa’s largest trading partner for the past 13 years, and our country has enjoyed sustained investment from Chinese companies in electronics, manufacturing and electronics,” he said.
Chinese Consul-General in Joburg, Tang Zhongdong, said “the the most important fruit of the 20th national congress of CPC is the election of new CPC leadership”, with Xi Jinping as general secretary.
“This is the consensus of whole of the CPC as well as the Chinese people that Mr Xi Jinping continues to take the helm of China. It is China’s luck,” said Tang.
He said in pursuing “modernisation, China would not tread the old path of war, colonisation, and plunder taken by some countries as before.
“That brutal and blood-stained path of enrichment at the expense of others caused great suffering for the people of developing countries,” said Tang.
He said China stands firmly against “all forms of hegemonism and power politics, the Cold War mentality, interference in other countries’ internal affairs, and double standards”.
“China upholds a peaceful development and will never seek hegemony or engage in expansionism. China’s door will be open to the world forever,” said Tang.
“China opposes protectionism, the erection of ‘fences and barriers’, decoupling, disruption of industrial and supply chains, unilateral sanctions, and maximum-pressure tactics, all forms of unilateralism and the forming of blocs and exclusive groups targeted against particular countries.
“South Africa will be the host country of the BRICS Summit next year. China surely will work closely with South Africa to push the expansion process,” he said.
Addressing the gathering hosted in Sandton, EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu said China was on course to become the world’s biggest economy.
“The CPC Congress is undeniably one of the most important gatherings in the entire world. The CPC Congress, in contemporary geopolitical considerations is the most important gathering, even more than the United Nations General Assembly which in many takes resolutions that it cannot implement.
“We know as a matter of fact that all the resolutions and outcomes of the 20th Congress of the CPC will become practical actions, touching the lives of all.
“The significance of the CPC Congress arises out of the fact that the CPC is leading what currently is considered the second biggest economy (in the world) and, in our lifetime, will become the world’s biggest economy. That is an undeniable fact. The Chinese economy, in terms of whatever systems is on its way towards being the world’s biggest economy in the entire world, and its significance will continue to be relevant,” he said.
Shivambu was accompanied by the EFF’s treasurer-general Omphile Maotwe.
The Chinese Consulate symposium was also attended by numerous South African political leaders including ActionSA’s John Moodey; Patriotic Alliance’s deputy president Kenny Kunene; Gauteng chairperson of the African Transformation Movement (ATM), Danny Thupane; Good party’s Joburg councillor Lloyd Phillips; African Independent Congress (AIC) Joburg councillor Margaret Arnolds, and Joburg environment and infrastructure services MMC, Michael Sun.
Academics including author Dr Paul Tembe, senior lecturer and researcher at Unisa; research director of the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Centre for Africa-China Studies, Emmanuel Matambo; research fellow at the Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation (IPATC) at UJ, Alexander Madanha Rusero; and Wits researcher Gideon Chitanga also contributed to the symposium.
ANC MP and member of the Gauteng provincial executive committee, Tshilidzi Munyai, told the gathering that China and South Africa are a distant apart geographically, “but the friendly nations are getting closer each year”.
“It is therefore imperative that South Africa as a great trading partner of China work together to strengthen our leadership not to a comprehensive level, but to an unlimited level to strengthen our relationship from party to party, people to people and culture,” said Munyai.
