South Sudan moves to strengthen trade ties with China
April 16, 2014 (JUBA) – South Sudan’s presidential advisor on legal affairs, Telar Ring Deng, has returned from a four-day visit to the Chinese capital, Beijing, aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries in the fields of trade and investment.
In conjunction with the visit, the South Sudanese embassy in Beijing hosted the first South Sudan-China Investment Forum.
The event, organised in collaboration with the NCB, discussed ways to identify and utilise investment and trade opportunities in the two countries.
The forum was attended by more than 250 people, with business, diplomatic, government and civil society representatives among those to attend.
During his visit from 10 to 14 April Deng held a number of productive meetings to discuss national issues and areas of mutual concern.
The number of Chinese companies registered in South Sudan grew last year and Deng was keen to stress that South Sudan was still open for business despite ongoing conflict in the country, which erupted mid-December last year after a power struggle between president Salva Kiir and former vice-president Riek Machar turned violent.
He also made assurances that his government had put in place a series of measures to protect foreign investors.
China is the biggest investor in South Sudan’s oil industry, but has played a limited role in ceasefire negotiations to resolve the crisis, in line with its policy of non-interference in domestic affairs.
Among those to meet with Deng in Beijing were vice president of China Import and Export Bank Yuan Xiagong, the acting director-general of the international department of the Communist Party, Jiang Jianhua, as well as representatives from Huawei, ZTE, Shandong Hi-Speed and Pan China Co. Ltd.
Following Deng’s departure, Monday Kumba, a counsellor of South Sudan’s embassy in Beijing, accompanied the South Sudanese delegation to Guangzhou to participate in the 115th session of China Import and Export Fair.
In October 2013, a delegation comprising of 105 South Sudanese business groups attended an import and export commodities fair in Guangzhou.
Kumba said at the time the visit was part of an ongoing strategy to further strengthen ties and develop effective cooperation between China and South Sudan.
(ST)