Chinese Consul General in Cape Town Ren Faqiang Meets with Speaker of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature Fufe Makatong

On 16 September, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Cape Town Ren Faqiang met with Fufe Makatong, the newly elected Speaker of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature, at the Consulate General. The two sides exchanged views on enhancing exchanges and cooperation between China’s provinces and the Northern Cape. Sharifa Minnie, Deputy Speaker of the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature, Patrick Moopelwa, Secretary to the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature, and other members of the Provincial Legislature attended the meeting.

Consul General Ren Faqiang congratulated Ms. Makatong on her election as the new Speaker of the Provincial Legislature. He noted that the Northern Cape is richly endowed with natural resources and has great potential for cooperation with China. China is ready to strengthen practical cooperation with the Northern Cape in areas including energy, minerals and agriculture. He expressed the hope that the Northern Cape would take exchanges between legislative bodies as a link to further strengthen ties its sister province, Hunan Province, and jointly promote greater outcomes in subnational cooperation between China and South Africa.

Speaker Makatong said that China is an important investment partner and a major market for goods from the Northern Cape. The Northern Cape looks forward to drawing on China’s experience and strengths to improve infrastructure and enhance its mineral processing capacity. She expressed the hope that the Consulate General would play a bridging role and provide support for closer exchanges and cooperation between the Northern Cape and Hunan Province.