A Grand Opening with Unprecedented Scale and Internationalization! The 9th HOMELIFE South Africa Expo Grandly Kicks Off, Boosting China-South Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation to New Heights!

        As a national-level economic and trade cooperation platform between China and South Africa,the South Africa-China Trade and Investment Promotion Confrence  & Opening Ceremony Of The 9TH South Africa HOMELIFE Expo grandly kicked off on September 23 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa!

China-South Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation Enters a Highlight Moment

Build Consensus and Embrace New Development Opportunities Together

        This conference is co-hosted by the Organizing Committee of the South Africa Expo, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in South Africa, and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition of South Africa. It aims to deepen the strategic synergy in economic and trade cooperation between China and South Africa, implement the 2025–2029 South Africa-China Trade and Investment Cooperation Program, and focus on core topics such as the interpretation of the upgrading trend of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, investment and industrial opportunities in the African market, and business matching and contract signing for Chinese and African enterprises. It serves as a high-level cooperation platform for Chinese and South African enterprises to jointly explore new development opportunities.

        The conference attracted nearly a thousand representatives from the governments, business communities, industry associations and enterprises of China and South Africa. The atmosphere on the spot was lively, demonstrating the firm willingness of the two countries to deepen cooperation. All the guests attending the conference unanimously agreed that the holding of this conference and the South Africa exhibition will inject new impetus into economic and trade cooperation between China and South Africa and promote the all-round strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries to a higher level in the new era.

Guests Attending the Opening Ceremony

1. Ambassador of China to South Africa - His Excellency Wu Peng
2. Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry of South Africa - His Excellency Zuko Godlimpi
3. Former Minister of Small Enterprise Development and Social Development of South Africa - Ms. Lindiwe Zulu
4. Deputy Provincial-Level Official of Northwest Province, Director of the Northwest Provincial Economic Development, Environment, Protection, and Tourism Committee (DEDECT) - Ms. Bitsa Lenkopane
5. Mayor of Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, China - Zhang Jian
6. Mayor of Johannesburg - Mr Dada Morero
7. Dipaleseng Local Municipality Executive Mayor - Cllr. Busi Khanye
8. Khulekani Mathe, CEO of the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BUSA)
9. President of the South African Chamber of Commerce (SACCI) - Adv. Mtho Xulu
10. Chairperson of the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) - Ms Bernadette Zeiler
11. President of the South African China Economic and Trade Association (SACETA) - Zhang Chaoyang
12. Chairperson of the Black Business Council (BBC), South Africa - Elias Monage
13. Chairperson of the Talent Development Sub-Committee of the BRICS Business Council South Africa - Mrs Mapule Ncanywa
14. Chief Investment Mobilization Officer, ISID Division, Department of Trade and Industry (DTIC), South Africa - Lester Bouah
15. Practical Professor at the University of Johannesburg - Prof. George Tsibani
16. Chief Representative of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Commerce's Business Representative Office in South Africa (Africa) - Mr. Chen Weihang
17. President of MEORIENT International Exhibition - Pan Jianjun
18. MEORIENT International Exhibition Chief Operating Officer (COO) - Binu Pillai

        At the opening ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Wu Peng stated that current China-South Africa relations continue to develop rapidly, with deepening mutually beneficial cooperation across various fields, bringing significant benefits to the people of both nations. This conference serves as a practical measure to strengthen consensus on trade and investment cooperation, as well as an important platform for promoting efficient alignment of capital, technology, resources, and markets between the two countries.

        Zuko Godlimpi, the Deputy Minister for Trade, Industry and Competition of South Africa, said that the long-term trade and investment partnership between South Africa and China has played an important role in South Africa's economy, employment and overall development. The South African government will continue to optimize the business environment, focusing on promoting cooperation in areas such as mining, manufacturing, green economy, pharmaceuticals and infrastructure, and looks forward to attracting more Chinese investment to jointly shape a fairer, more mutually beneficial and win-win future.

        During the conference, a number of signing ceremonies were held, achieving fruitful results. Among them, the South Africa-China Economic and Trade Association (SACETA) and the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BUSA) signed a Memorandum of understanding on strengthening the promotion of trade and investment between China and South Africa, aiming to enhance the communication mechanism between the bilateral business communities and promote information sharing and project matching. In addition, several enterprises from China and South Africa signed cooperation agreements on the spot, marking a solid step forward in practical cooperation between enterprises of the two countries.

The scale and internationalization level have reached a new high, creating a "super hub" for the African market

        Against the backdrop of rising uncertainties in global economic and trade cooperation, China-South Africa cooperation has continued to develop steadily. China has been South Africa's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years. Up to now, more than 200 Chinese enterprises have invested in South Africa, with a cumulative amount exceeding 10 billion US dollars, jointly writing a new chapter in the development of China-South Africa cooperation.

        The exhibition is hosted by the Wenzhou Municipal People's Government and other units, co-hosted by the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Commerce, the Hangzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce, the Ningbo Municipal Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the Jinhua Municipal Bureau of Commerce, the Jinhua Municipal Council for the Promotion of International Trade and other units, guided by the Guangdong Provincial Department of Commerce and other units, and organized by the Wenzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce and Mioolant International Exhibition. With the strong support of local official business associations such as the Landburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry of South Africa, the South African National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the South African Alternative Energy Association, the South African BRICS Business Council, and the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce, a golden bridge for economic and trade cooperation between China and South Africa has been successfully built.

        The exhibition area of this event is nearly 12,000 square meters, gathering nearly 400 enterprises from 38 cities in 8 provinces of China, including Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Guangdong and Hunan, as well as from countries and regions such as Dubai. Both the scale and the degree of internationalization have reached record highs, marking a crucial step for Chinese enterprises to expand into the African market.

On the first day, a long queue was surging. Both supply and demand are booming, and business opportunities are overwhelming

        On the first day of the event, a long queue had formed outside the Gallagher Convention Center in Johannesburg. Buyers from South Africa and all over Africa had a "good start" with Chinese home furnishing enterprises.

        Yiwu Shining Cosmetics Co., Ltd. brought a variety of signature beauty products and personal care products to this South African exhibition, attracting a large number of buyers to inquire and connect. It accurately seized business opportunities and achieved results far exceeding expectations on the first day.

        From thermos flasks, cookware and kitchenware, food storage containers, disposable tableware and other tableware, to skin care products, makeup tools, wigs, combs and other beauty and personal care products; From household items such as scented ornaments, decorative wall hangings, and storage boxes to outdoor sports products like bags, sunshades, outdoor lights, and fitness equipment, as well as gifts and office supplies such as stationery sets, flower gift boxes, and Christmas handicrafts, over a hundred leading enterprises in China's home gift industry all made their appearances, presenting thousands of "Made in China" masterpieces. Jointly showcase the latest strength and creative achievements of China's home gift industry.

The grand concurrent event kicked off splendidly

        During the exhibition, a variety of activities such as major buyer procurement matching meetings, industry-specific forums, and in-depth market research will be held to build an efficient communication bridge between enterprises in Central and South China, enhance the efficiency of exhibition and trade transactions, and provide comprehensive support for Chinese enterprises to deeply explore the potential of the African market.

The 2025  Ubantu Smart Cities Confrence

        The first day of the "The 2025  Ubantu Smart Cities Confrence" in South Africa, jointly organized by the MEORIENT &HOMLIFE Exhibition Organizing Committee and the BRICS Business Council Working Group (an official G20 organizing unit), was grandly held.

        This conference, themed "Building Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Cities through Innovation", brought together numerous representatives from the government, business community, international organizations and local governance institutions to jointly explore the cutting-edge trends and practical paths of smart city development, and promote the progress of cities in South Africa and across Africa towards a more efficient, fair and sustainable future.

        Elias Monage, a member of the BRICS Business Council of South Africa, Lindiwe Zulu, the former minister, Mohlatlego Robatlha, the representative of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) of South Africa, and Kutlwano, the representative of the Association of Local Governments of South Africa (SALGA) Guests such as Chaba, Sisa Njikelana, the representative of the South African - Brazil - BRICS Business Council, the chairperson of BRICS + MWG, and Busisiwe Khanye, the executive mayor of Dipaleseng Local Municipality, delivered speeches successively, jointly emphasizing through public-private collaboration, technological innovation and empowerment of small and medium-sized enterprises, The urgency and huge potential of promoting the intelligent transformation of African cities.

The exhibition still has 2 days left
More business opportunities continue to explode. Stay tuned!

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