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The Presidency, Pretoria, Media Statement, 2 December 2015
President Zuma Hosts President Xi Jinping on a State Visit
More Than Twenty Agreements Signed
Twenty six agreements worth R94 billion were signed today, 2 December 2015
at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, taking bilateral cooperation between
China and South Africa to a higher level.
President Jacob Zuma today hosted his counterpart His Excellency the
President of the People's Republic of China, Mr Xi Jinping who is in South
Africa on a State Visit.
The two Heads of State used the State Visit to evaluate the progress
achieved by the two countries since the conclusion of the Five to-Ten Year
Strategic Programme for Cooperation adopted in December 2014, during a State
Visit by President Zuma to the People's Republic of China.
In this regard, the two leaders received progress achieved in the
implementation of Strategic Programme with specific reference to the six
priority areas identified for 2015, as follows:
. Alignment of industries to accelerate South Africa's industrialisation
process;
. Enhancement of cooperation in Special Economic Zones (SEZs);
. Enhancement of marine cooperation;
. Infrastructure development
. Human Resources cooperation, and
. Financial cooperation.
The following agreements were signed today:
1. Action Plan on the Strengthening of the Joint Working Group between
China and South Africa
In order to accelerate bilateral cooperation on major projects, both sides
agreed to further strengthen the Joint Working Group (JWG) through the
Action Plan to emphasise the following aspects: locomotive procurement,
civilian nuclear energy project, investment in renewable energy, investment
cooperation in industrial parks, trade promotion, specifically focused on
South African product expos and Chinese trade missions, promoting the export
of South African products to China and cooperation in Black Industrialists
Programmes; visa facilitation, financial cooperation and the upgrading of
national electricity transmission and distribution system.
2. MoU on Jointly Building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st
Century Maritime Silk Road
Both South Africa and China are committed to jointly promote the building of
the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (the
Belt and Road) through the MoU on Jointly Building the Silk Road Economic
belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. China proposed the Belt and
Road Initiative in an endeavour to uphold the spirit of the Silk Road, which
includes peace, cooperation, openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning,
mutual benefit and win-win results and to enrich its meaning with the
characteristics of the new era. The MoU also aims at creating opportunities
for mutual learning, realizing better exchange and integration of goods,
technology, capital and personnel and promoting the coordinated development
and common progress of countries concerned in the fields of economy,
society, environment and culture, thereby facilitating dialogues and
integration of different civilizations. Both South Africa and China have
agreed to jointly explore the converging points between the Belt and Road
Initiative and national development of South Africa, to enhance policy
coordination and pragmatic cooperation, promote win-win cooperation and
mutual learning so as to realize peaceful development and common prosperity
for both countries.
3. Agreement between the Department of Environmental Affairs and the NDRC
on Strengthening Cooperation in the Oceans Economy
The objective of the Agreement on Strengthening Cooperation in the Oceans
Economy is to create cooperation and a consultation platform and to promote
cooperation on the Oceans Economy between the two countries and related
organisations and enterprises. The Agreement outlines broad areas of
cooperation in the following areas i.e. Maritime transport; Offshore
petroleum resources development; Ocean drilling platform building;
Aquaculture and processing of fish products; Port development/construction
and operation; Port industrial park development; Skills development and
capacity building; Research, technology innovation and technology transfer;
Oceans environment conservation and management; and other areas of mutual
interest as agreed by the Parties.
4. Agreement on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Diplomatic and
Official Passport Holders
The Agreement on the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Diplomatic and Official
Passport Holders allows for those citizens from South Africa and China, who
hold valid diplomatic or service passports, to enter into, exit from,
transit through, or stay in the country of the other Party for a period not
exceeding 30 days to be exempt from the requirement of having to obtain a
visa for the duration of that period. Accredited diplomatic and consular
staff, as well as members of their families, shall not be required to obtain
a visa for the duration of their accreditation. The Agreement shall replace
the existing Agreement regarding the Waiver of Visa Requirements for Holders
of Diplomatic Passports, signed on 24 August 2010.
5. Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Health and Medical
Sciences between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South
Africa
The objective of the MoU in Health and Medical Sciences between South Africa
and China is to expand exchanges in the fields of public health, health care
delivery systems and biomedical sciences, as well as establish regular
cooperation between health institutions. Areas of cooperation include:
Public health services and biomedical research, medical research; Primary
health care, including family medicine; Quality assurance in health care and
standards practice; education and training in, and research of, traditional
medicine; healthy lifestyles; regulation of medicine, including traditional
medicine; pre-hospital emergency medicine; HIV and AIDS and TB and MDR-TB
treatment; Recruitment of health professionals; and Human resource
development.
6. MoU on Cooperation and Development on Science Parks
Following the Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation concluded
between South Africa and China on 30 March 1999, the Five to Ten Year
Strategic Framework for Cooperation between South Africa and China
(2015-2024) signed on 4 December 2014; and the China-Africa Science and
Technology Partnership Programme that was launched in November 2011, the two
countries have committed to continue to expand cooperation in the field of
science parks on the basis of equality and mutual benefit in order to
enhance bilateral research and development partnerships and innovation
activities. The MoU on Science Park Cooperation highlights cooperation
between the two countries in Business incubation, High-End Skills
Development and ICT Research and Development Investment.
7. Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the People's
Republic of China and the Government of South Africa on the establishment of
a China Cultural Centre in the Republic of South Africa
The Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the
Republic of South Africa wish to promote the cultural and exchanges
expertise and cooperation between the two countries and strengthen the
mutual understanding and friendship. The Government of the People's Republic
of China will establish a China Cultural Centre in South Africa. The
Cultural Centre will provide quality and publicly-accessible cultural
programmes through friendly collaboration with its partners.
8. Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Public
Enterprises, Republic of South Africa, and the State-Owned Assets
Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, The People's
Republic of China
The Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Public Enterprises
of South Africa and the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration
Commission of the State Council, of the People's Republic of China intends
to facilitate strengthening cooperation in terms of infrastructure
construction projects; information communications, as well as co-operation
between Chinese and South African energy related companies. The Agreement
will create a legal framework for South African and Chinese state-owned
enterprises (SOEs) within their oversight control to conduct exchanges and
cooperation in the areas of common interests; and as well as to share
information and expertise in their respective enterprises.
9. Memorandum of Understanding on Anti-Monopoly Cooperation between the
Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China and the Economic
Development Department of South Africa
The purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") is to enhance the
partnership of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
and the Economic Development Department of South Africa by providing a sound
mechanism for their communication and cooperation in the fields of
competition law and policy, including enforcement. Exchanging information
regarding developments in their respective competition legislation,
enforcement and policy; Providing comments on drafts of each other's
competition law, regulations and other legal or guidance documents;
exchanging information on issues including, but not limited to, definition
of relevant markets, theories of harm, the competitive impact assessment and
the design of remedies; Sharing competition law enforcement experience;
Sharing practice and experience with respect to law enforcement capacity
building; and Exchanging views on issues relating to international
cooperation on competition law and policy.
10. Memorandum of Cooperation between the South African Revenue Service of
the Republic of South Africa and the Great Administration of Customs of the
People's Republic of China
The Memorandum of Cooperation between the South African Revenue Service
(SARS) of the Republic of South Africa and the Great Administration of
Customs (GAC) of the People's Republic of China, intends to strengthen
cooperation in the field of administrative assistance in customs matters
with the focus of improving mutual understanding of the Participants' custom
practices. The Agreement will create a legal framework for the SARS and the
Great Administration of Customs to promote communication and cooperation in
customs administration; technology application, the formulation and
implementation of laws and regulations; capacity building; and trade
statistics. The Memorandum of Cooperation will also pave the way for the
Participants to enhance cooperation by developing their capabilities through
particular activities, projects and arrangements as well as facilitate
cooperation in specific areas namely the exchange of trade statistics; trade
facilitation and identifying and controlling trade risks; improving the
existing collaboration in terms of anti-smuggling; exchanging customs
valuation methodologies, capacity building as well as exchanging views in
areas applicable to multilateral contexts.
11. Action Plan on Cooperation in Human Resource Development between the
Department of Higher Education and Training of the Republic of South Africa
and the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
The Government of China offers 2000 training offered to South Africa for the
period 2015-2020. The Department of Higher Education and Training of the
Republic of South Africa and the Ministry of Commerce of the People's
Republic of China drafted an Action Plan on Cooperation in Human Resource
Development as part of the implementation programme for these training
offers. The Action Plan will also assist in strengthening the promoting
personnel exchanges, and enhancing mutual friendship between the two
countries and is part of the Five-to-Ten-Year Strategic Programme for
Cooperation between the Republic of South Africa and the People's Republic
of China 2015-2024.
12. Report on the Statistical Discrepancies of Merchandise Trade between the
Republic of South Africa and the People's Republic of China
In recent years, the bilateral merchandise trade between South Africa and
China has grown rapidly. From 2004-2014, the total bilateral trade value
increased 28.4% (compound annual growth) according to Chinese statistics and
20.4% according to South African statistics. The discrepancies between the
trade data of the two countries have been a concern and have had an effect
on the objective of understanding and evaluating bilateral trade.
Consequently, a Joint Working Group on trade statistics analysis between
South Africa and China was established in November 2010, comprised of the
Department of Trade and Industry of South Africa, the South African Revenue
Services and the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. The Working Group conducted a
cooperative study on the cause of the statistical discrepancy in the
2004-2009 bilateral merchandise trade data and focused on critically
analysing the trade data of 2007 and 2009.
State Owned Enterprises Agreements
1. Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Co-Operation entered into
between Eskom Holdings Soc Ltd And State Corporation of China
The Memorandum of Understanding between Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd And State
Grid Corporation of China intends facilitating the strengthening of
cooperation between South Africa and China in the field of energy. The
Agreement will create a legal framework for Eskom and the SGCC to establish
a strategic relationship in order to deepen their co-operation in
international business and to exchange experience in technical, managerial
and financial fields. The MoU will also allow the Parties to pursue
commercial opportunities and exchange information on projects in geographic
regions of mutual interest in the fields of transmission and distribution
projects; renewable energy projects, off-grid rural electrification
programmes.
2. Loan Agreement between the China Development Bank Corporation and Eskom
Eskom and the China Development Bank will conclude a loan agreement to
facilitate-South Africa-China investment and trade cooperation and to
further support Eskom's infrastructure construction. The loan facility is to
the value of USD 500,000,000.
3. Framework Cooperation Agreement between the China Export Credit
Insurance Corporation (Sinosure) and Transnet
Transnet and the Export and Credit Insurance Corporation of China (Sinosure)
will conclude a Framework Agreement of Cooperation. Sinosure is willing to
provide insurance support to Transnet with respect to the financing
activities with a total amount of no more than USD 2.5 Billion (the "Quota")
in the first phase of cooperation with Transnet, in relation to the
procurement by Transnet of mechanical and electrical products and whole-set
equipment from Chinese enterprises, and projects contracted by Chinese
enterprises in South Africa, as well as operation, maintenance and other
related services. The Quota will be preferably used for projects in South
Africa, e.g. railway, ports and pipeline, etc., and other projects
recognized by both Parties.
4. Strategic Cooperation Agreement to Fund Infrastructure and Industrial
Development Projects in South Africa and the Rest of Africa between China
Construction Bank Corporation and Industrial Corporation of South Africa
Limited
The Parties will fund Infrastructure and Industrial Development projects,
directly and indirectly in South Africa and the rest of Africa, subject to
their internal funding processes. The Parties will, inter alia, fund project
opportunities in South Africa and the rest of Africa with the IDC taking
underlying project risk and CCB taking project risk at the IDC level. This
would involve debt funding. Sectors to be considered for funding include
industrial infrastructure (which encompasses energy renewable and
conventional) agro-processing; manufacturing and mining beneficiation;
amongst others.
5. Memorandum of Understanding between the Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC)
and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)
It is the mutual intention of the Parties to co-operate with each other by
establishing motor vehicle manufacturing facilities in South Africa at a
coastal city either Durban or East London. The manufacturing facility is
intended to create jobs and sell motor vehicles in South Africa and the rest
of the African continent in accordance with the terms of reference referred
to in this MOU to make reasonable profit.
6. Cooperation Framework Agreement between the Trans Caledon Tunnel
Authority (TCTA) and the China Communications Construction Company
The purpose of this Agreement is to assist in establishing and developing a
long-term friendly cooperation relationship between the Parties in order to
fund and implement new projects in the water and sanitation sector in the
Republic of South Africa.
7. Agreement on the Final Acceptance for CBERS-04 Satellite Ground System
in South Africa between the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and
the China Aerospace, Science and Technology Corporation (CAISC)
With the support of the China-Africa Science and Technology Partnership
Program (CASTEP) launched by Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology in
2009, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) has
appointed the China Center for Earth Resource Satellite Data & Application
(CRESDA) to execute the task of CBERS-04 Satellite Ground System in South
Africa for the South Africa National Space Agency (SANSA). In October, 2015,
CRESDA completed installation, integration, and training of the CBERS-04
Satellite Ground System in South Africa. During 17th October - 31st November
2015, SANSA successfully completed a Test Run of the CBERS-04 Satellite
Ground System in South Africa. CRESDA and SANSA on 2 December 2015 will sign
a Final Acceptance Agreement for the CBERS-04 Satellite Ground System in
South Africa to certify that the CBERS-04 Satellite Ground System in South
Africa is accepted by SANSA and is formally handed over to SANSA.
8. Project Management Cooperation Agreement for CAP1400 Project between
State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC) and the South Africa
Nuclear Corporation (NECSA)
The Agreement will allow for SNPTC and NECSA to enhance bilateral
cooperation in the field of nuclear power. China and South Africa have
enormous potential in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. SNPTC owns the
CAP1400 Project, a nuclear power plant, operated by its subsidiary, State
Nuclear Power Demonstration Plant Company Ltd. Through this Agreement, SNPTC
agrees to provide an opportunity for NECSA's personnel to participate in the
construction management of the CAP1400 Project Site.
Private Sector Agreements
1. Collaboration and Framework Agreement between Industrial and Commercial
Bank of China and Standard Bank-South Africa.
The Agreement between Standard Bank South Africa (SBSA) and the Industrial
and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) will facilitate the raising of Rand
denominated funding for the ICBC, which will be made available to strengthen
the various sectors of the South African economy, with a particular focus on
power and infrastructure. The Agreement is worth up to R10 Billion over the
next 5 years.
2. Cooperation Agreement between Investec and the Export-Import Bank of
China.
On 2 December 2015, South Africa's Investec Bank Limited and the China
Export-Import Bank will conclude a Strategic Cooperation Agreement aimed at
strengthening and enhancing trade and economic cooperation between the two
countries and industrial development. The Agreement establishes a framework
for developing a long-term business relationship between the two Banks aimed
at promoting cooperation in the areas of export finance, project finance,
the internationalisation of the Chinese Yuan Renminbi ("CNY") and its use as
a settlement currency in trade, and other finance fields. The two Banks will
further place special emphasis on cooperation in projects to enhance trade
between China and South Africa in mechanical and electronic products,
complete sets of equipment, high and new-technology products, energy, raw
materials, agricultural products and other products consistent with the
economic and industrial development goals of the Government of China and
Government of South Africa; Energy and infrastructure projects located in
China, South Africa or third countries in sub-Saharan Africa to be invested
or developed by Chinese and/or South African enterprises, amongst other
fields.
3. Cooperation Agreement between the China State Council Information
Office and the NASPERS Group SA.
The Cooperation Agreement between the China State Council Information Office
and the Naspers Group SA will promote and create a legal framework to
improve cooperation between South Africa and China to actively promote
communication between their media practitioners through mutual visits and
exposure to local media operations as well as co-produce or promote the
co-production of media products, exchange or promote the exchange of content
of media products based on a variety of media.
Issued by:
The Presidency, Pretoria
Enquiries:
Bongani Majola on 082 339 1993 or [email protected]
www.thepresidency.gov.za <http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/>
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