On Sunday, 12 September 2010, the Premier of Limpopo, Mr Cassel Mathale, will lead a high level government delegation to the People’s Republic of China on a weeklong trade and investment promotion mission. During this mission, the Premier’s delegation will strategically interact with the provincial government of Henan province as well as State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in the cities of Beijing and Shanghai.
The Premier’s delegation will consist of the MEC for Economic Development and Tourism, Mr Pitsi Moloto, the MEC for Roads and Transport, Ms Pinkie Kekana and senior government officials.
“The main objective of the Premier’s trade and investment promotion is to seed discussions with Chinese investors in order to derive positive economic spin-off for Limpopo,” said MEC Pitsi Moloto.
Accordingly, Premier Mathale will have bilateral engagements with the Governor of Henan province, Mr Guo Gengmao to explore areas of common interest in strengthening partnerships around projects such as wind power and solar energy, coal mining, agro-processing including Research and Development (R&D) at universities.
In the City of Beijing, the Premier will have strategic meetings with SOEs that include Jidong Development Group, Huawei Technologies, the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the department of Raw Material of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and China Rail Engineering Company (CRCC).
The Premier’s meetings in Beijing are designed, among others, to include:
- Explore bankable opportunities in Infrastructure projects, particularly, rail, road and freight logistics development as articulated in the Limpopo Employment Growth and Development Plan (LEGDP).
- Profile Limpopo’s opportunities in mining, the downstream beneficiation of strategic mineral resources, manufacturing, renewable energy, and agriculture
- Enhance strategic partnerships that will induce direct foreign investment in labour intensive industrialisation pathways
- Consider bankable initiatives to increase comprehensive partnership in technology, skills development and innovation through institutional cooperation.
The Premier will also meet with Sinosteel, in Beijing, to entrench the partnership that already exists and deliberate on downstream beneficiation and value-addition of chrome as espoused in the 12th five year plan of 2011.
The Premier’s delegation will then proceed to the City of Shanghai to have meetings with SOEs such as Suzhou Kaiyuan Group and Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group to explore bankable opportunities and partnership in the development of telecoms, power transmission and construction.
Finally, the Premier’s delegation will participate in activities at the South African pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo in an effort to positioning Limpopo as a tourist destination of choice before retuning to the province on Sunday, 18 September 2010.
Enquiries:
Tebatso Mabitsela
Cell: 072 263 0563
Source: Office of the Premier, Limpopo Provincial Government
