China now SA’s biggest trading partner
JUST 10 years after establishing diplomatic and trade relations with South Africa, China has overtaken the US, Japan, Germany and the UK to become SA’s biggest trading partner, according the Department of Trade and Industry says. Trade volumes with China between January and July reached R32,4-billion, followed by the US with R21,7-billion, Japan’s R19,7-billion, Germany’s R17,5-billion and the UK’s R15,2-billion - an increase of 11,95% from 8,45% in the same period last year. Chinese ambassador Zhong Jianhua says, the warm diplomatic ties between China and SA since 1998 had been matched by growing economic engagement, putting this country among China’s top three African trading partners.
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