（May 13th 2025, NH Hotel, Johannesburg）

Honourable Mr. Sang Weiliang, Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of Guizhou Provincial People’s Congress,
Honourable Ms. Morakane Mosupyoe, Speaker of Gauteng Provincial Legislature,
Distinguished guests and friends of all sectors from both China and South Africa,

Good afternoon!

It gives me great pleasure to attend the China (Guizhou) -South Africa (Johannesburg) Promotion Conference for Economy, Trade, Culture and Tourism. Let me first extend warm welcome to Mr. Sang Weiliang and the delegation on their visit to South Africa and warm congratulations on today’s conference. Many thanks to friends of all sectors from both sides for the support in promoting the growth of relations at both national and sub-national levels.  

Guizhou is a province with rich and colorful natural and cultural resources as well as development full of vitality and innovation. I believe that everybody present is very much impressed by the video presentation and Mr. Sang Weiliang’s introduction about Guizhou, especially his warm invitation to participate in Guizhou-hosted international events and to embrace Guizhou opportunities for bilateral economic cooperation. The delegation, headed by Vice Chairperson Sang, travelled a long distance to be here in South Africa, with the purpose to promote Guizhou, showcasing Guizhou’s vivid endeavors and remarkable achievements in its modernization drive and demonstrating Guizhou’s commitment to further opening up and strengthening cooperation with South African local governments, business and other communities and sectors. This is a valuable opportunity of and a practical step towards the advancement of China-South Africa relations and pragmatic cooperation that benefit both peoples.

Ladies and gentlemen, China is determined to further deepen reform in an all round way and advance its path to modernization. China is also committed to providing to the world including South Africa with positive energy and developmental opportunities through its new development. That is our consistent policy. We support more sub-national mutual visits between the two countries and encourage more mutual investment and business operation and cultural exchanges. Recently, during his meeting with business leaders from the world, Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out ‘Embracing China is embracing opportunities, believing in China is believing in a better tomorrow, and investing in China is investing in the future.’ Both governments of China and South Africa will continue to work hard to create a stable, fair and enabling business and exchange environment.

Ladies and gentlemen, under the guidance of the two heads of state, China-South African relationship has achieved substantial and leapfrog development with an elevation to the all-round strategic cooperative partnership in a new era. The two sides have been deepening and expanding exchanges and cooperation in fields of politics, economy, trade, culture and global affairs, and have been strengthening coordination and collaboration through the platforms such as the Belt and Road Initiative, FOCAC, BRICS. The bilateral relationship is heralding a strong momentum of growth and embracing an exceptional promising future. Amidst the profound changes in today’s global landscape, our relationship has become increasingly significant in strengthening the power of the Global South and promoting regional and world peace and development.

In the area of economy and trade, China has been the largest trading partner of South Africa for consecutive 16 years, while South Africa remains China’s largest trading partner in Africa for consecutive 15 years. China is committed to further expanding economic and trade ties by improving the current trade structure, increasing market access and the exports of value-added goods from South Africa. China is committed to deepening cooperation in traditional fields such as agriculture, health, medical sciences and infrastructure development, focusing on key areas such as the digital economy, new energies and artificial intelligence and boosting cooperation on new quality productive forces, and further expanding mutually beneficial cooperation in renewable energy, energy storage and power transmission and distribution.

Friends, amity between peoples holds the key to the relations between nations. Both China and South Africa value the vibrant cultural and people-to-people exchanges. It is hoped that people from all sectors of both sides will take full advantage of the important opportunities and promising prospects presented by the China-South Africa relations and increase mutual engagement and synergies so as to continue to deliver real results and make fresh contributions to the growth of relations of both national and sub-national levels and in various areas. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General will as always work together with you to give our due support and be of good service.

Friends, days ago, China and the U.S. held a high-level meeting on economic and trade affairs in Geneva and released a joint statement which meet the expectation of the international community and would bring more stability and certainty to the world economy. I would like to reaffirm that regarding tariff issue, China’s position is consistent and clear: there is no winner in a trade war or a tariff war. No matter how international landscape may evolve, China will remain steadfast in expanding opening-up, safeguarding the WTO-centered multilateral trading system, and sharing development opportunities with the rest of the world. China stands ready to work with South Africa to jointly resist unilateralism, jointly defend free trade and multilateralism, and promote an inclusive and equitable economic globalization.

Finally, I wish today's event a big success. Thank you!