President Hu Jintao's visit to South Africa will be a trip about
consolidation, said South Africa's ambassador in Beijing.
"Our two countries have put the framework in place," Ndumiso N
Ntshinga told China Daily in an interview recently. "The
only thing to consolidate is to sit down and study what we have
achieved, where we go and how we expand the strategic
partnership."
Ntshinga was referring to the coming talks between Hu and his
counterpart, South African President Thabo Mbeki. The talks were
expected to cover not only bilateral issues, but also international
ones such as UN reform and World Trade Organization
negotiations.
South Africa is part of Hu's eight-nation trip to Africa, which
began last Tuesday three months after November's Beijing Summit of
China-Africa Cooperation Forum, during which Chinese and more than
40 African leaders pledged to intensify cooperation on mutual
development.
Ntshinga also said he hopes China will play a more prominent and
visible role on the world stage.
"In a country with 1.3 billion population, the view of the
people is quite important, because government represents citizens,"
he said.
As for business exchanges, Ntshinga said that on one hand,
Chinese products challenge the interests of some people who
monopolize certain industries in Africa. On the other hand, more
affordable commodities and services offer more options to local
people.
"Unlike the past when we got only one arrangement in doing
business because of monopoly, now we can pick up the best one among
the multi-arrangements," Ntshinga said.
"Whenever there is competition, there will be an exchange of
accusations," he said, referring to monopoly owners' worries over
and response to newcomers in their markets.
"With the globalization coming up, Africa is not an isolated
island," he said.
"Globalization requires us that there could be more vigorous
trade within Africa, and between Africa and other continents."
Ntshinga added the increasing business exchanges over the past
years between China and South Africa is a result of comparative
advantages, wherein one country trades its relatively cheaper goods
for other countries' relatively cheaper goods.
"Trade is governed by certain rules that are international," he
said, adding that comparative advantages or complementary business
exchanges will benefit both sides.
As more South African people are using products from China, the
country is also aiming to increase its share in the huge Chinese
market.
"We are going to diversify our exports to China," he said. "And
we are looking for such market niches, which could be banking,
high-tech products, or any area."
Ntshinga noted that currently, most South African exports to
China are commodities.
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"It means that there is room to expand to non-commodities areas,"
he said, adding that his country will increase the exports of high
value-added products to China.
(China Daily February 7, 2007)
