At the 2025 G20 Summit in Johannesburg, Chinese Premier Li Qiang reiterated Beijing’s commitment to broadening and deepening its partnership with South Africa across trade, energy, infrastructure, and emerging industries. The pledge comes amid fresh momentum to expand bilateral relations under their all-round strategic cooperative partnership.
During his meeting with South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Li described the two nations as “good friends and brothers,” affirming China’s readiness to support Pretoria and help elevate South African products, including value-added goods, into the Chinese market. He emphasised Beijing’s intention to negotiate an economic-partnership agreement and accelerate the implementation of China’s zero-tariff treatment for African partners.
Looking ahead, Li identified key sectors for enhanced cooperation: new energy, automobiles, healthcare, digital economy, and infrastructure. He called for more Chinese companies to invest in South Africa, with hopes that such investments will contribute to both countries’ modernization goals.
South Africa welcomed the renewed momentum. Mashatile reaffirmed Pretoria’s commitment to the one-China policy and said the government is ready to leverage the zero-tariff opportunity to deepen engagement in industry, agriculture, green technology, and digital trade. He also echoed calls for enhanced people-to-people exchanges, viewing cultural, educational, and youth linkages as vital to deepening trust and mutual understanding.
The latest pledge builds on years of cooperation: earlier agreements have seen Chinese involvement in renewable-energy projects like the De Aar Wind Power Project in Northern Cape, supplying clean electricity to hundreds of thousands of South African households and generating local jobs and skills development.
Additionally, Chinese companies have substantial footprints in South Africa’s automotive, manufacturing, and digital economy sectors, a trend that could accelerate if zero-tariff agreements lower trade barriers and improve market access.
On a multilateral level, both nations continue to coordinate within frameworks such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), projecting their strengthened partnership as a model for South–South cooperation and a pathway toward a more equitable international order.
