On November 21, 2023, Pan Qingjiang, the newly appointed Consul General of China in Johannesburg, met with Sivuyile Ngodwana, Mayor of Ekurhuleni. The two sides exchanged views on the promotion of local exchanges and practical cooperation between China and South Africa.

Consul General Pan briefed the Mayor about the important outcomes of President Xi Jinping’s visit to South Africa in August this year, the latest development of China-South Africa relations and the friendly cooperation between China and Ekurhuleni. He expressed the Consulate General’s willingness to work hand in hand with the Ekurhuleni Municipal Government to promote China-South Africa local exchanges and achieve more practical cooperation results in various sectors. He hoped that the Ekurhuleni MunicipalGovernment will continue to attach importance to the safety of local Chinese communities.

Mayor Ngodwana welcomed Consul General Pan on his assumption ofthe new post, and expressed that Ekurhuleni has maintained long term relations with Chinese governmental departments and corporate institutions. Ekurhuleni is willing to increase bilateral exchanges in the post-pandemic era and carry out more projects in education, technology, security and other fields which can benefit the people. The Government will, as always, strive to safeguard its residents including local Chinese communities.