China hopeful of creating more jobs in SA, Africa – ambassador
PEOPLE’S Republic of China ambassador Lin Songtian put emphasis on the importance of investing in the country and creating a production hub to export to other African countries in order to create more jobs.
He said job creation was the answer to many problems, as he took members of the media on a tour of the Hisense electronic factory in Atlantis yesterday.
The event was also aimed at celebrating the success of Chinese-South African co-operation.
Lin said the company had created more than 700 local jobs and 3 000 indirect jobs.
Hisense entered the local market in 1996.
Its headquarters is based in Cape Town, with other branches in Johannesburg and KwaZulu-Natal.
Products are sold to more than 18 national chain channels, and exported to more than 10 countries and regions, including Angola, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Lin said: “(If) everybody has a job, everybody will be happy. We are very happy and proud.
‘‘We are proud to say Chinese investment does something for the nation, the people and the community.
“They produce TVs and products in two locations.
“They have upped their production capacity to meet the economic demand of the local and regional market.
“They see the country as a production base, to produce here, create jobs here, but export to the sub-region.”
Lin said they also transferred technology and knowhow to citizens.
Chinese business in the country brought the country more than R100 million a year, Songtian said.
He said they agreed with the president’s announcement of an investment and job creation summit.
The poverty in rural areas stemmed from a lack of jobs.
“If each family member has one regular job, they can send children to school, they can afford health care,” Lin said.
“The government cannot create jobs, they create the National Development Plan to attract international or local investors to settle down in the country to produce and create jobs.”
China has been South Africa’s largest trading partner for nine years.