Envoy makes the pledge as Beijing prepares to roll out tax-free access to the Chinese market for goods from 53 African nations
“In this process, China will fully accommodate South Africa’s interests and will not seek reciprocity,” Chinese ambassador to South Africa Wu Peng said on Saturday.
The Chinese envoy’s remarks have eased concerns in South Africa over a potential requirement for a reciprocal agreement that could have hurt its car industry.
Beijing’s economic sweetener comes as some African nations – facing higher tariffs in the United States – are seeking to diversify their markets. The US imposed a 30 per cent blanket tariff on South African imports last year.
