What does South Africa take from China’s success story? Consul General of China, Pan Qingjiang addresses Joburg seminar
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South African scholars, government officials, entrepreneurs and foreign diplomats and local and international media gathered at the University of Johannesburg for a seminar discussing how Africa can draw inspiration from China's modernisation success.
The seminar hosted by the African Bureau of the China Media Group in conjunction with the University of Johannesburg on Thursday was held under the theme: "China in Spring - Insights into Chinese-type modernisation and new opportunities for Africa”.
The seminar in Joburg, also attended by University of Johannesburg students, was held in the context of the just ended “Two Sessions” or “Lianghui” - the collective term for the Chinese government's annual plenary sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which are typically both held every March at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing around the same dates.
Addressing the highly-attended gathering, Consul-General of China in Johannesburg, Pan Qingjiang said the large-scale modernisation of the People’s Republic of China has not only brought common prosperity for citizens and people around the world, but also injects strong impetus into Africa's economic recovery, while opening up a broad path for common development between China and Africa.
“The rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer is not modernisation. Serving a few countries or a few people is not modernisation. The common prosperity of the world's people requires the common development of all countries,” he said.
Highlighting on the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, the Consul General said these initiatives are public goods provided by China to the international community and open platforms for achieving common development and common prosperity.
“Over the past 10 years, the Belt and Road Initiative has resulted in more than 3,000 cooperation projects, pulled nearly $1 trillion in investment, and created 420,000 jobs in countries along the route, including Africa.
“The Global Development Initiative has also been universally welcomed by the international community, and is now supported by more than 100 countries, including the vast majority of countries in Africa, and many international organizations,” said Pan.
“Chinese modernisation has ignited the confidence of all countries to modernisation. As one African leader said, the Chinese path has inspired all developing countries, and every country can achieve development from scratch.”
In 2023, China-Africa trade reached a historic peak of USD282.1 billion, with year-on-year growth of 1.5%.
“China has remained Africa's top trading partner for 15 consecutive years. Specifically, the bilateral trade volume between China and South Africa reached US$55.6 billion in 2023. South African exports to China have continued to expand, with beef, citrus, red wine, oysters, rooibos tea and many other products very popular with Chinese consumers,” he said.
“Chinese enterprises have invested more than USD25 billion in South Africa, an increase of more than 100 times compared to the time when diplomatic relations were established, creating more than 400,000 local jobs.”
Pan added that China's march towards modernisation will bring more certainty to peace and stability on the African continent, and strengthen the international community's forces for peace and justice.
“The Global Security Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping points to the right direction of common and universal security. With China's facilitation, Saudi Arabia and Iran have resumed diplomatic relations, and the situation in northern Myanmar has eased,” he said.
On the Ukraine issue, China has all along held an objective and impartial position and promoted peace talks.
“With regard to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, China firmly supports the Palestinian people’s just cause of regaining their legitimate national rights, and is always committed to a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine at an early date,” said the diplomat.
China's march towards modernisation, according to Pan, has proven to be a multiplier in the forces of peace and a strengthening of the forces of justice.
“Friends, Chinese modernisation benefits the Chinese people and promotes the common development of the world,” said Pan.
“China is ready to work with African countries to provide new opportunities for Africa's development through new achievements in Chinese modernisation, to provide new impetus to Africa's exploration of the road to modernisation and a better social system, and to promote to build a China-Africa community with shared future.”
Addressing the event, Professor David Monyae, head of the School for Africa-China Relations at the University of Johannesburg, said South Africa needs a stronger China, and a peaceful world.
“We, in Africa want a world order that is stable, that allows us to develop, that we draw on our strategic partners in the world like China and others, and work with them for us to develop. But because of the disagreements over which technologies should we use, which ones should we not use, that brings us a lot of challenges,” said Monyae.
“So as students, as scholars, we need to really understand these dynamics at a geopolitical as well as in our studies so that we ask the right questions. What is it that we need.
“As Africans we also follow what is happening at the Two Sessions and there are lessons that we learnt from the Two Sessions, and the importance of China from an African perspective."
The Two Sessions this year, among key announcements regarding China’s economy, revealed an envisaged five percent GDP growth goal for 2024.
Renowned South African Sinologist, and author Professor Paul Tembe said the formal foreign policy stance of China was laid out succinctly on March 7 by Foreign Minister Wang Yi to an audience of domestic and international journalists.
“What were some of the highlights of the Minister’s statements and attempt at setting the record straight? Why should we care in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) what the PRC had to say on geopolitical hot-spots? No doubt our world is undergoing tremendous colliding conflicts and challenges which threaten the very existence of our lives and livelihoods,” he said.
“While these challenges are undergoing, they also carry with them the seeds to transform our world for the better and positively re-organise international multilateral institutions.
“Minister Wang’s message was consistent that China’s approach to international relations remains centred on promotion of peaceful coexistence, mutual development, cooperative governance, and win-win outcomes,” said Tembe.
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