Chongqing- Panyaza Lesufi, Premier of Gauteng Province, South Africa, led a delegation to Southwest China's Chongqing between June 20-23, where they aim to deepen cooperation in multiple fields concerning infrastructure development and the improvement of socio-economic conditions in cities like Johannesburg. 

This visit included a live seminar hosted by the Foreign Affairs Office of Chongqing Municipal People's Government on June 21, during which government leaders and industry representatives shared their views on the potential for bilateral cooperation.

Before the seminar, the delegation visited Chongqing Rail Transit, vocational colleges, Liangjiang Digital Economic Industrial Park, and the medical equipment manufacturer Haifu to deepen their understanding of the Chongqing industrial sector. Later, their schedule will conclude with the traditional Dragon Boat Race held at Anju Old Town in Tongliang District, a yearly fixture listed as an intangible cultural heritage. 

The growing population exacerbates infrastructure pressure

At the Chongqing-Gauteng Infrastructure Development Seminar, leaders from Gauteng expressed their desire for cooperation with Chongqing across multiple fields, such as energy, transportion, education and medical care. 

Gauteng Province is the financial and industrial heart of South Africa, and the name itself means "Golden Land" in the local Sesotho language. The provincial capital Johannesburg is the largest city nationwide, while the neighboring city of Tshwane serves as the administrative center for the country as a whole. 

Gauteng Province is seeking coordinated infrastructure development to resolve challenges from a rapidly growing population as an economic hub in South Africa (Photo/Chongqing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development)

Despite being the smallest province in the geographical area, Gauteng is the most highly urbanized and populated in South Africa, with approximately 16.1 million inhabitants representing 26% of the total nationwide. However, its status as an economic hub has continued to draw many migrants from other provinces and neighboring countries, significantly increasing the necessity for infrastructure development and efficient public services.

Premier of Gauteng Province Panyaza Lesufi (Second from right) addresses Chongqing officials and industry leaders at the Infrastructure Development Seminar (Photo/James Alexander)

Cooperation mechanisms should direct future Chongqing-Gauteng ties

Dong Yong, Deputy Director-General of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, emphasized during the seminar that there is much common ground between Gauteng and Chongqing in terms of natural features, a highly concentrated population, and rapid development in the social economy, meaning there should be plentiful opportunities to learn from each other.

Dong suggested the two sides establish a range of mechanisms to develop future trade cooperation, including an interactive platform through which construction enterprises from Chongqing would be encouraged to accept overseas projects and participate in developing public infrastructure in Gauteng.

In addition, further mechanisms should enhance communication in engineering through an international training base, where outstanding students from Gauteng could gain practical experience on the ground in Chongqing. In turn, the cultivation of talent may also potentially benefit South Africa through construction related to the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Chongqing-Gauteng Infrastructure Development Seminar held on June 21, 2023, has laid the foundations for deeper economic ties (Photo/James Alexander)

High-level representatives from Chongqing City Transportation Development &Investment Group, TYLIN International, CISDI Engineering Consulting, and Chongqing Architectural Design Innovation attended the seminar to present their expertise and completed projects in China and worldwide. 

They have a long-standing reputation for successfully designing and building infrastructure such as bridges, highways, airports, hospitals, subways, housing, water treatment facilities, and landmark buildings. Furthermore, individual enterprises also boast experts holding academic qualifications and positions based at prestigious universities in South Africa, possessing first-hand experience of local conditions as a result.

Following this initial exchange of dialogue, both parties expressed their willingness to build on this foundation and seek deeper ties in resolving pressing development needs in South Africa, bringing potential opportunities to Chinese enterprises, and further cultivating industrial talent through overseas study programs.