South Africa and China signed a framework economic partnership unlocking duty free exports, boosting investment, supporting jobs, and advancing shared prosperity through trade, cooperation, and innovation.
Parks Tau and Wang Wentao formalised the Framework Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Prosperity, signalling a deepening of bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries.
The agreement paves the way for an Early Harvest Agreement expected by March 2026, which will provide duty free access for selected South African exports while encouraging increased Chinese investment into the local economy.
Key focus areas include trade and investment cooperation, new energy collaboration, and multilateral engagement, aligned with the development priorities of both nations and consistent with World Trade Organization principles.
The partnership aims to expand South African agricultural and high value manufactured exports to China, building on existing trade in products such as citrus and rooibos tea, while protecting domestic industrial capacity through agreed safeguards.
The agreement also opens new market access opportunities, inward buying missions, and investment platforms, reinforcing South Africa and People’s Republic of China’s shared commitment to inclusive growth, job creation, and long term economic resilience.
