Ambassador Wu Peng in "Report on Fulfilling Social Responsibility of Chinese-funded Enterprises in South Africa" It’s my great pleasure to attend today’s launch ceremony of the Corporate Social Responsibility Report of Chinese-Funded Enterprises in South Africa. First of all, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, please allow me to express my warm congratulations on today’s ceremony,and pay high tribute to all Chinese enterprises that have actively fulfilled their social responsibilities and serve local development. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to all friends from all walks of life who have long cared for and supported the development of China-South Africa economic and trade cooperation and bilateral relations.
The Corporate Social Responsibility Report of Chinese-Funded Enterprises in South Africa, officially launched today, marks the second edition following its first release in 2018. This report highlights the substantial contributions made by Chinese-funded enterprises in recent years towards the local development of South Africa, including efforts to improve the livelihoods of local communities, protect the environment, and support various sectors. It serves as a vivid demonstration of how Chinese-funded enterprises faithfully implement the principle of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith, and take the right approach to friendship and interests, as proposed by President Xi Jinping.
The South Africa-China Economic and Trade Association (SACETA), entrusted with the compilation of this report, is a non-profit entity voluntarily established by Chinese-funded enterprises in South Africa. It has played a pivotal role in advancing mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation, enhancing communication with government departments in South Africa, and promoting the compliance and development of Chinese-funded enterprises. Let us applaud for the social contributions of Chinese enterprises and the hard work of SACETA!
If we compare the practice of Chinese enterprises fulfilling their social responsibilities to the flowers of Namaqualand (the most famous flower ocean in South Africa), the close economic and trade ties between China and South Africa would be the “fertile soil” that nurtures the beautiful flowers. Our bilateral economic and trade cooperation has composed a wonderful chapter in China-South Africa relations.
South Africa, as the first African country to sign the Belt and Road cooperation document with China, stands as one of China’s most important investment destinations on the African continent. The economic and trade structures of the two countries are highly complementary, making the enhancement of trade and investment cooperation a matter of mutual benefit. Recent years have witnessed an increasing number of Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in South Africa.
To date, more than 200 Chinese enterprises are operating in South Africa, with total investments surpassing US$10 billion, covering various sectors such as mining, energy, manufacturing,
infrastructure, finance, and communications. They have generated significant employment opportunities and tax revenues for the local economy while simultaneously providing Chinese enterprises themselves with valuable development prospects and growth opportunities.
I would like to share with you several examples that highlight the positive contributions made by Chinese enterprises in South Africa.
The Samancor Chrome Project, invested and constructed by China Steel Corporation, encompasses the entire industrial chain, from mining and mineral processing to smelting, with an annual output of 2.4 million tons of ferrochrome. This project has created 12,000 jobs, with an impressive employee
localization rate of 99.5%.
The FAW South Africa factory, located in the Coega Industrial Park, has produced over 15,000 Jiefang trucks. As the largest and most advanced truck production facility in Southern Africa, it adheres to the highest standards of management, contributing an average of 500 million rand to local taxes each year.
The Longyuan De Aar Wind Power Project, invested by the China Energy Investment Group, is South Africa’s largest operational wind power project, with a total installed capacity of 244,500 kilowatts. This facility supplies approximately 760 million kilowatt-hours of stable and clean electricity annually,
equivalent to saving 215,800 tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 619,900 tons.
These examples are just a few among many, showcasing not only the successful outcomes of pragmatic cooperation between China and South Africa but also the vivid epitomes of Chinese enterprises’ sincere support for South Africa’s economic and social development.
Last August, President Xi Jinping paid his fourth state visit to South Africa and attended the 15th BRICS Summit. This September, President Xi Jinping met once again with President Ramaphosa in Beijing, ushering in a new phase in the bilateral relationship by elevating it to an all-round strategic cooperative
partnership in the new era. This significant development has brought China-South Africa practical cooperation in various fields to unprecedented levels. It is hoped that Chinese-funded enterprises in South Africa will seize this opportunity, harness the momentum of the strengthened partnership, and expand the business cooperation in critical areas such as infrastructure improvement, new energy development, and mineral processing. Together, China and South Africa will continue to make a bigger
market cake and ensure that the practical collaboration between our two nations yields more “golden fruits”.
Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Chinese-funded enterprises in South Africa for their positive contributions to promoting mutually beneficial and friendly cooperation between China and South Africa, and to the South African government and all sectors of society for their concern and support for China-South Africa economic and trade cooperation and the development of bilateral relations.
I believe that in the future, more and more Chinese enterprises will come to South Africa, invest in South Africa, and build for South Africa, bringing more benefits to the two countries and two peoples. The Chinese Embassy in South Africa will continue to serve, build and maintain the development of
bilateral relations, and work with the Chinese-funded enterprises in South Africa to write a new chapter of a better future for our two countries and two peoples.