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The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, has arrived in Shanghai, in the People’s Republic of China for the 1st China International Import Expo (CIIE) that is scheduled to take place from 5-10 November 2018. Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the hosting of the Expo last year.  The aim of hosting the event is to show China’s intention of firmly supporting trade liberalisation and economic globalisation and actively opening the market to the world. Enterprises from over 100 countries and regions are expected to participate in this first CIIE. Supporting activities such as supply-demand matchmaking meetings, seminars and product releases will be held during the Expo.

Minister Davies is leading a delegation of 27 South African organisations which include provincial investment agencies, Special Economic Zones, Export Councils, as well as private companies. The delegation is being funded by the Department of Trade and Industry through the Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) Scheme.

Minister Davies says that South Africa will participate in the 3 main platforms of the 1st China International Import Expo (CIIE), namely Country Pavilion for Trade and Investment, Enterprise and Business as well as Fair International Trade Forum. These platforms will enable us to promote South Africa’s trade and investment capabilities.

South Africa will host an Investment Forum on the margins of CIIE that will be addressed by Minister Davies. The focus will be to address potential investors and importers of finished products manufactured in South Africa.

Sectors that are participating include Agro-processing, Footwear and Leather, Engineering, Petro-Chemicals, Railway components, Defence, and Information and Communication Technology.

The total trade between South Africa and China grew from R205 billion in 2012 to R318 billion by the end of 2017. The highest peak of total trade registered a growth rate of 24% and this occurred in 2013, due to China’s increased appetite for South Africa’s raw commodities, which decreased to only 6% in 2017.

The trade balance soared from R-35 billion in 2012 to its peak of R-105 billion in 2015, and then decreased to R-87bn by the end of 2017. The trade deficit is due to imbalances in the composition of trade between the two countries where South Africa continues to export primary products and commodities to China, whilst we continue to import manufactured and high-tech products from China.

Issued by The Department of Trade and Industry