Leaders from China and South Africa have recommitted to expanding economic and trade cooperation for common prosperity and to implementing a zero-tariff policy for African exports to China.

Amid rising unilateralism and protectionism globally, which have severely impacted the international trade order, solidarity and intensified cooperation between China and South Africa are of global significance, Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng said at the opening of South Africa-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum in Cape Town, South Africa, on Friday.

China has been South Africa's biggest trading partner for many years, while South Africa is China's biggest trading partner in Africa and one of the most important destinations for investment. Bilateral trade exceeded $53 billion last year.

With strong complementarity in the economy and a solid foundation of cooperation, China and South Africa can expand economic and trade cooperation, Han said. With 53 African countries eligible for tariff-free exports to China, China welcomes more quality products from South Africa to enter the Chinese market and encourages more Chinese enterprises to invest in South Africa, he said.

"We expect enterprises of the two countries to strengthen their joint efforts to solidify cooperation in advantageous areas, and foster cooperation in new areas such as renewable energy and artificial intelligence," he said.

During the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, China will further expand high-standard opening up to grant a broader market and opportunities for foreign businesses, Han said.

China announced in February that it will fully implement zero-tariff measures for all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic ties, starting on May 1. The move is widely welcomed across Africa.

More than 350 representatives, including senior officials and business leaders from China and South Africa, attended the forum on Friday, cohosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and South Africa's Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, South Africa's Deputy President Paul Mashatile applauded the deepening bilateral cooperation over recent years, covering broader areas such as tourism, mineral resources, the environment, science and technology, education and culture.

Chinese investment has created a large number of job opportunities in South Africa, he said, adding that South African enterprises have invested in China in the health, information and telecommunications, manufacturing and service sectors.

He spoke highly of China's zero-tariff measure, highlighting that it will not only boost exports to China but also help South Africa solidify its status as a preferred destination for Chinese investors and drive South Africa's industrialization.

"Duty-free access to South African exports not only makes it profitable for Chinese firms to source semi-processed and finished goods from South Africa, but it also makes the prospect of building local processing plants more viable," he said.

In addition, South Africa anticipates greater collaboration with China on renewable energy to support its green transformation, he said.

China-South Africa ties have seen leap-forward development in recent years, becoming a model of China-Africa relations and South-South cooperation, Ren Hongbin, chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said, adding that the council will implement the consensus reached by the heads of state of the two countries, create high-quality platforms and provide professional services for economic and trade cooperation.

Stavros Nicolaou, a senior executive at Aspen Pharmacare, a South African company, said China's announcement of zero tariffs is a very important signal for South African businesses and the African continent, as it shows China's commitment to addressing African concerns and promoting bilateral trade development.

"Africa appreciates it, and we want to export more of our finished and manufactured products as soon as it is implemented," he said.

wangxiaodong@chinadaily.com.cn