On April 20, 2026, Chinese Consul General in Cape Town Ren Faqiang published an article titled "How China is shaping the global economy: A focus on cooperation" on Cape Times. The full article reads as follows:

Not long ago, China’s annual Two Sessions, namely the National People’s Congress(NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference(CPPCC) were successfully convened, during which the 2026 Government Work Report and the draft Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan(2026-2030) for National Economic and Social Development were reviewed and adopted, drawing a grand blueprint for Chinese modernization over the next five years.

In the face of global changes and various risks and challenges, China’s economy has maintained steady progress while striving for innovation and high-quality development, continuing to act as a stable anchor for the world economy. In 2025, China’s GDP exceeded 140 trillion yuan (approximately US$20.4 trillion) for the first time, and its economic growth rate ranked among the top of the world’s major economies. Against the backdrop of sluggish global economic growth, China, accounting for 17% of the world economy, contributed 30% of global economic growth, demonstrating strong economic resilience and risk resistance.

To address the complex and challenging internal and external development environment, China has rolled out a series of policies to expand investment and boost consumption in recent years. In 2025, consumption became the primary driver of China’s economic growth, with final consumption expenditure contributing 52% to economic growth. China’s retail market is among the largest in the world; household consumption structure continues to improve and upgrade, with growing preferences for personalized, diversified, and high-quality consumption.

Faced with rising unilateralism and protectionism, China firmly upholds multilateralism, openness and cooperation, and shares opportunities with the world through higher-level opening-up. China’s overall tariff level has been reduced to 7.3%, among the lowest in the world. In 2025, China’s imports maintained a sound momentum. For 17 consecutive years, China has been the world’s second-largest importer, with imports growing from more than 130 countries and regions. China's imports from Africa rose by 6 percent. China Customs authorities approved the import of 190 types of agricultural and food products from 65 countries. The annual agricultural imports reaching nearly 1.5 trillion yuan. For many years, China has firmly maintained its status as the world’s factory thanks to its strong manufacturing capacity. High-quality and reasonably-priced Chinese products have not only boosted development in developing countries but also offered consumers worldwide a wide range of choices, raising people’s purchasing power and consumption levels. China’s vast market of over 1.4 billion people will provide development opportunities for all countries.

This year marks the beginning of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan as well as the 70th anniversary of China-Africa diplomatic relations. In February 2026, President Xi Jinping announced that China will fully implement zero-tariff treatment for all 53 African countries having diplomatic ties with China starting from May 1, 2026. This is a sincere action by China to support African integration and will provide Africa with greater access to China’s market and more opportunities from China.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, practical cooperation between China and South Africa has yielded fruitful results. China has been South Africa’s largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, with bilateral trade exceeding US$53.5 billion. Recently, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng visited South Africa, met with President Cyril Ramaphosa in Cape Town, co-chaired the Ninth Plenary Session of the China-South Africa Bi-National Commission with Deputy President Paul Mashatile, and met with National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza. This visit was an important high-level exchange between China and South Africa, which further deepened political mutual trust and injected new impetus into expanding practical cooperation between the two countries.

In recent years, with more frequent people-to-people exchanges between China and South Africa, a growing number of South African enterprises have participated in exhibitions in China. Through major platforms such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the Canton Fair, they have promoted South Africa’s high-quality wine, fruits, and special agricultural products to China’s vast market, while sourcing quality goods from China. Not long ago, I met with the head of the South African Pecan Nut Producers Association, who was about to attend the 19th China Nuts, Dried Fruits and Food Exhibition Conference in China. I also learned that well-known South African enterprises including Woolworths, SPAR, Shoprite, and Foschini frequently visit China to negotiate business deals. Chinese Consulate General in Cape Town will continue to serve as a bridge, providing services and support including visa service to business partners of the two countries.

Looking ahead, China stands ready to work with South Africa under the guidance of head-of-state diplomacy and high-level exchanges to continuously strengthen political mutual trust, support each other on issues of mutual concern, jointly advance modernization, and strive for new progress in the China-South Africa all-round strategic cooperative partnership in the new era.