JOHANNESBURG, Feb 5 (Reuters) – South Africa’s trade minister Parks Tau will travel to China from Thursday to Saturday to sign the China–Africa Economic Partnership Agreement, which will see South African exports gain duty-free access to the Chinese market, Tau’s office said.
South Africa is seeking to boost exports amid a tariff row with the United States, its second-largest bilateral trading partner after China.
U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 30% tariff on South African exports to the U.S. in August, the highest rate in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Tau’s trip to China “comes at a time when South Africa is pursuing an objective of market diversification and export growth,” his office said in a statement on Thursday.
Tau will also meet Chinese companies interested in investing in South Africa on his visit.
(Reporting by Anathi Madubela;Editing by Alexander Winning)
