From 20th to 29thJune 2023, Panyaza Lesufi, Premier of Gauteng Province in South Africa, visited four Chinese provinces and municipalities: Chongqing, Zhejiang, Shanghai and Beijing successively. Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Tasneem Motara, Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, and other delegates accompanied him. During the visit to China, the delegation was warmly received by the governments of the four provinces and municipalities, participated in official meetings, business discussions, enterprise visits, cultural and educational exchanges and other activities, and reached a series of cooperation consensus with relevant stakeholders in China in various fields.
1. Visit to Chongqing from 20th to 22nd June
On the 20th, Hu Henghua, Deputy Secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Party Committee of CPC and Mayor of Chongqing, met with the delegation led by Lesufi, Premier of Gauteng Province, South Africa. Hu Henghua welcomed Lesufi for visiting Chongqing and briefed Chongqing's economic and social development. He hoped to further strengthen economic, trade and cultural exchanges between the two sides, and cooperate in in multiple fields such as industrial development, infrastructure construction, sister city relations, Lesufi said that he is willing to expand the strategic cooperation with Chongqing and promote the cooperation between the two sides in energy, transportation, education, healthcare and other fields to continuously achieve new results.
On 21stJune, the delegation attended the Chongqing-Gauteng Infrastructure Construction Exchange Seminar. During the seminar, the main leaders of Gauteng Province introduced the infrastructure construction, urban planning and other aspects of Gauteng Province and their intention to cooperate with Chongqing. Chongqing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-rural Development, Chongqing Planning Bureau, and Chongqing Transportation Bureau introduced Chongqing’s relevant aspects respectively, and over 10 Chongqing enterprise representatives delivered introductory speeches. The two sides agreed on the great potentials in infrastructure construction cooperation between the two places, and came up with practical cooperation suggestions.
During their stay in Chongqing, the delegation also paid field trips to understand Chongqing's rail transit construction and community-level police administration. They also visited places such as Liangjiang Digital Economy Industrial Park, Hithium Energy Storage Technology Company, Haifu Medical Technology Company and Chongqing Vocational College of Public Transportation. The delegates then attended the 2023 Anju Ancient City Dragon Boat Festival.
2. Visit to Zhejiang from 23rd to 25th June
On 23rd June, Yiwu Municipal Party Committee Secretary of CPC Wang Jian met with the delegation. Wang Jian said that Yiwu is willing to make full use of its advantages and actively join the China-Africa exchanges. Lesufi said that he would like to learn from Yiwu City’s successful experience in developing small commodity economy.
On 25thJune, Li Yanyi, Vice Governor of Zhejiang Province met with Lesufi, Premier of Gauteng Province, South Africa. Li Yanyi welcomed the delegation led by Lesufi and briefly introduced the current economic and social development of Zhejiang Province. Li said that Zhejiang Province and Gauteng Province have both commonalities and complementarities. He hoped that the two sides may actively implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen multi-level exchanges in various fields, deepen exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade, education, and people-to-people exchanges to achieve win-win development. Lesufi spoke highly of Zhejiang Province's great achievements in developing the digital economy and promoting social development. Lesufi said that he will take this visit as an opportunity to actively promote the relevant parties in Gauteng to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Zhejiang Province, and make contributions to the development of relations between South Africa and China.
During their stay in Zhejiang, the delegation also visited Dahua Technology Company, Hikvision Group and H3C Group, where they learned with great interests about the development of Zhejiang enterprises in the sectors including monitoring technology, new energy, and discussed relevant cooperation opportunities.
3. Visit to Shanghai from 25th to 27th June
On 26thJune, Gong Zheng, Deputy Secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee of CPC and Mayor of Shanghai, met with Lesufi, Premier of Gauteng Province, South Africa. Gong Zheng said that Shanghai attaches great importance to the friendly exchanges with Gauteng Province and has established a friendly exchange relationship with Johannesburg, the provincial capital of Gauteng. Gauteng is the economic engine of South Africa, and Shanghai is deepening the construction of "five centers", hoping to strengthen economic and trade exchanges, promote two-way investment, and deepen the two sides’ exchanges in many fields including culture, education, and urban governance. Lesufi said that Shanghai, as the economic center of China, has achieved amazing development in various fields. Gauteng hopes to work closely with Shanghai to receive China's innovative achievements and deepen cooperation in areas such as energy conservation and environmental protection, digital technology, and new energy vehicles. Chinese enterprises are welcome to invest, and Gauteng is willing to serve as a bridge for Chinese enterprises to enter South Africa and the rest of Africa.
During their stay in Shanghai, the delegation also visited Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, the Site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Shanghai Urban Operation and Management Center and Cultural Activity Center, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and other places.
4. Visit to Beijingfrom 27th to 29th June
On 28th June, Yin Yong, Deputy Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee of CPC and Mayor of Beijing, met with Gauteng Premier Lesufi and his delegation. Yin Yong welcomed Lesufi for leading a delegation to visit Beijing at the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa, as well as the 25th anniversary of the establishment of sister city relationship between Beijing and Gauteng. Yin said that local friendly exchanges are an important part of the relations between China and South Africa. Over the past 25 years since Beijing and Gauteng established such a relationship, they have carried out a series of fruitful exchanges and cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges. At a new starting point, Beijing is willing to continue to maintain close exchanges with Gauteng, coordinate urban development strategies, and strengthen exchanges and mutual learning in urban governance; deepen economic and trade cooperation, encourage and support enterprises of the two sides to carry out two-way investment; promote exchanges in education, culture and tourism, expand personnel exchanges, and gain increasing public support for China-South Africa friendship. Lesufi spoke highly of Beijing's economic and social development achievements and technological innovation vitality, and expressed that Gauteng Province is willing to take the 25th anniversary of the sister city relationship establishment as an opportunity to further deepen the pragmatic cooperation between the two sides in the fields of urban planning, economy and trade, smart cities and green energy cooperation, expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and enhance the friendship to bring benefits to the people of the two countries.
During their stay in Beijing, the delegation also visited the CCCC headquarters, BAIC BJEV, BBMG Group headquarters, Megvii Technology, Beijing SinoHytec, Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall, Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone, City Brain of Haidian District and Beijing Polytechnic College.
After the above visits, the delegation members said that they had gained a lot from the trip, having a more comprehensive understanding on Chinese modernization, as well as a deeper appreciation of the special “comrades plus brothers” friendly relationship between China and South Africa. Gauteng Provincial Government is willing to actively participate in exchanges and cooperation between the local governments of South Africa and China, and walk hand in hand with China on the path to modernization.