DIRCO Annual Report

Discontinued activities The Extraordinary SADC Summit to deliberate on the region’s support to the Republic of Mozambique, which was decided on during the Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit Plus Force Intervention Brigade Troop Contributing Countries, the DRC and the Republic of Mozambique on 27 November 2020, could not take place on 18 January 2021, as decided, due to the second wave of COVID-19 and consequent restrictions at that stage. This prohibited SADC from addressing the situation in Mozambique prior to the increase in terrorist activities from 24 March 2021. This cannot be considered as a saving on the department’s budget, as an Extraordinary Double Troika Summit plus the Republic of Mozambique, took place in Maputo, Mozambique, on 8 April 2021, to deliberate on the same issue. Introduction During the course of 2020/21, virtual high-level discussions (including telephone calls) were held with counterparts from China, India, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Palestine, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Yemen, Qatar and Oman. South Africa received support in the form of PPE, COVID-19 test kits and pharmaceutical products from China, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, the UAE, Saudi Arabia (food parcels) and Qatar (computers). Many countries in the region assisted with the repatriation of South Africans during the pandemic. East Asia and Oceania Relations between South Africa and China are underpinned by a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and a new 10-Year Strategic Programme on Cooperation (2020 – 2029) as agreed between the two countries in 2020, and is currently being processed and finalised for signature in 2021. It will replace the Five –10 Year Strategic Programme for Action (2015 – 2024). Key to the South Africa-China Strategic Partnership are the economic ties existing between our two countries, with China being South Africa’s largest trading partner with total bilateral trade, which amounted to R437 billion in 2020. Within the context of the CSP, China has allocated grants amounting to 330 million RMB (R846 million) and 200 million RMB ASIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST

(R512 million), respectively, to development projects in South Africa. These projects include the proposed High-Speed Rail project, the Small Harbours Development project and the Vocational Training Centre. Japan is a major investor in the South African economy, with a current presence of over 160 Japanese companies, sustaining over 150 000 local job opportunities. Investments by Japan over the past year include R4.28 billion by Toyota, R3.2 billion by Nissan and R1.2 billion by Isuzu. Other new investments were made, among others, by Sumitomo Rubber, Komatsu, Kansai Paint, NEC, Lixel, Nomura Investment and Tokyo Marine. South Africa benefitted from high-quality Japanese training and skills development opportunities, such as the African Business Education initiative at Master’s and PhD degree levels (linked to internships at Japanese multinational companies) and a specialised Artisans Training Programme at two local Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions. The ROK pledged significant donations of COVID-19-related health equipment to South Africa, which has meanwhile been received by the National Department of Health, as part of bilateral cooperation efforts. Central, South and Southeast Asia Despite the challenges and interruptions to international contact caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, South Africa pursued its relationships with the countries of Central, South and Southeast Asia, not only at a bilateral level, but also at regional and multilateral levels. As part of such efforts, South Africa, on 10 November 2020, acceded to the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) as a High Contracting Party, through a virtual signing ceremony. The formalisation of South Africa’s relations with ASEAN, comprising 10 member states, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam, paves the way for the country to strengthen political and economic collaboration to enhance mutually beneficial trade, investment and tourism ties and to support skills development and training for South Africans. It will provide opportunities for further collaboration with the key Indo Pacific regional actors and a strategic platform for enhanced trade and economic initiatives with a wider range of Asian partners

Annual Report 2020/2021 I Vote No. 6

47