On June 13, 2023, the China-South Africa New Energy Investment Cooperation Conference was held in Johannesburg, South Africa, where representatives of enterprises from the two countries exchanged views on the theme of green energy helping South Africa's economic development, in order to strengthen docking and actively promote cooperation on new energy projects.

Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Chen Xiaodong said in his speech that South Africa is currently experiencing unprecedented power shortage. As a good brother, good friend and good partner, China sympathizes with the difficulties faced by South Africa and is willing to provide support to South Africa within its capacity. The main purpose of this conference is to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, build a platform for information exchange and cooperation between relevant Chinese and South African enterprises and institutions, mobilize more forces to participate in the development of South Africa's new energy industry, help South Africa to alleviate the power crisis, and inject new impetus into China-South Africa practical cooperation.

South African State-owned Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan shared his recent visit to China to see China's use of advanced artificial intelligence technology to support the energy transition, believing that it is worth learning from South Africa and Africa as a whole. He said that at present, South Africa is introducing a series of measures to create more investment and cooperation opportunities, and hopes that this conference will become an important embodiment of the cooperation between the two countries in a very constructive way.

Cosienjo Ramokopa, Minister of Power of the President of South Africa, said that he believes that the conference will further consolidate and deepen the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries. He expressed his sincere gratitude to the Chinese side for its support to the South African people and its generous hand in helping South Africa when it was most in need. He said that South Africa had contacted the embassies of many countries in South Africa to seek assistance, and only the Chinese side responded quickly and positively.

With the support of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, the conference was co-hosted by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Mechanical and Electrical Products, the South Africa-China Economic and Trade Association and the South African Investment Agency. More than 400 people, including representatives of industry associations and related enterprises from China and South Africa, attended the conference. The Chinese enterprises participating in the conference cover all aspects of the whole industrial chain such as equipment, trade, investment, construction and operation in the field of new energy.Editor/Ma Xue