Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies will lead a delegation of 68 companies to the South African Expos taking place in Beijing and Shanghai, China from Monday to Friday.

Davies said in a statement this week that the Expos, first hosted in Beijing and Shanghai in 2011, sought to increase South Africa's basket of exports to China while facilitating a shift from commodity to value-added exports, as well as to mobilise interest in infrastructure-related investment in SA.

Towards a more balanced trade profile

South Africa and China signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement in 2010 that prioritised working towards a more balanced trade profile between the two countries, in particular by encouraging trade in manufactured value-added products.

Davies said China was committed to encouraging its enterprises to invest more in South Africa's manufacturing industry and promote the creation of value-adding activities in close proximity to the source of raw materials.

Last year's South African Expos had generated "on the spot export sales of value-added products worth R8-million and estimated future export sales over the medium term (next three years) of about R400-million," Davies said.

Exports to China up 45% in 2011

According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), South Africa's exports to China reached an all-time high of R85-billion in 2011, an increase of 45% over 2010.

The Expos programme includes exhibitions showcasing products from South Africa's nine provinces, an investment seminar focusing on beneficiation, renewable energy and manufacturing, and business-to-business meetings.

During next week's visit, the DTI is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with the International Brand Management Centre on the promotion of South African products in China.