South Africas deputy president has announced that Chinese firms and investors have expressed interest in participating in the country’s rail projects and other such infrastructure developments
Last year, state-owned Transnet, which is responsible for freight rail, port, fuel pipelines and other infrastructure improvements in the country, revealed that it would spend up to US$20.1bn on railways development, including links to help transport 82mn metric tonnes of iron ore and 16mn tonnes of manganese each year to the Coega port.
According to Chinese news agency Xinhua, Kgalema Motlanthe, who recently met with Chinese state officials for the fifth China-South Africa Bi-National Commission, said the African North-South corridor was also a highlight of their discussions.
The African North-South corridor is a passageway that would connect Egypt's Cairo and South Africa's Cape Town via roads and railways as part of the African Union's infrastructure movement.
“Chinese participation in South Africa’s mega projects could help with inter-connectivity and promote trade and financial cooperation between the two countries,” said Motlanthe.
China is South Africa’s largest trade partner and the African nation is also one of the Asian country’s top allies, according to Motlanthe.
During Motlanthe’s visit to China, two agreements on tourism and public administration were signed. The deputy president also met with officials from the State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC) and pledged to enhance cooperation with China in the area of nuclear energy, the news agency reported.
Earlier this year, South Africa had announced plans to construct six nuclear reactors by 2030.
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