‘China is SA’s single largest trading partner’

South Africa's bilateral trade with China grew by almost a third between 2012 and last year but the bilateral trade composition is “a concern”.

Responding in writing to a parliamentary question on Wednesday, trade and industry minister Rob Davies noted that China had been the country's single largest trading partner since 2009.

"Two-way trade between South Africa and China continues to grow, increasing from R205 billion in 2012 to R270 billion at the end of 2013; a 32 percent increase,” wrote Davies, adding that the composition of the bilateral trade remained a concern for South Africa.

"Over 90 percent of South Africa's top 10 exports to China are in raw materials, while 100 percent of our top 10 imports from China are manufactured products." He said that both countries had recognised that this was not sustainable. "There is indeed scope to expand South Africa's exports to China in value-added manufactured products."