SALGA and Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries convene local government dialogue forum to enhance international cooperation and promote common development.

Posted: 12 July 2017

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SALGA and the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries hosted the first SA-China Dialogue Forum in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China

The four-day forum started on Tuesday, 11 July 2017 and will ended on 14 July 2017. It was aimed at providing a platform for both South Africans and Chinese to interact on their own mutual issues of interests, enabling them to share common standards of development and best practices. The Forum will also create a platform to promote understanding, enhance cooperation, develop city relations and share experiences among BRICS local governments. In addition, this platform will assist to review the implementation of signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) between South African and Chinese municipalities.  

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Mr. Des Van Rooyen met with Ms. Lin Yi, Vice President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) during the SALGA National Conference 28 November 2016. 

The two Leaders agreed to establish a China-South Africa Local Government Dialogue Forum, as is the practice with other African countries. 

Speaking at the opening of the dialogue forum Minister Des Van Rooyen said the China-South Africa relations have a long standing history and both countries continuously face unprecedented development opportunities together. 

“We continue to express our commitment to local exchanges and cooperation between China and South Africa,” he said.

Minister Van Rooyen is confident that this engagement will result in more visible relations and collaborations between South African and Chinese cities. "Indeed, it is our view that we have so much to learn from each other." 

“As previously indicated South Africa is currently implementing the recently adopted Integrated Urban Development Framework (IUDF) with the overall outcome of spatial transformation. This marks a ‘new deal’ for South African cities and towns, by steering urban growth towards a sustainable growth model of compact, connected and coordinated cities and towns,” he said.

SALGA Deputy President Lindiwe Ntshalintshali speaking on behalf of the fraternity of South African local government, said SALGA is cognizant of the increased expectation by both local communities and the global development community, of the role of the local arm of the state in making a meaningful impact on development. 

Ntshalintshali said the past two years have been crucial in framing the future of our planet as the United Nations and the broader global development community have reached consensus on a number of international accords that shape what governments, multilateral agencies, business, NGO’s, civil society and other stakeholders should and could do in shaping the future of our earth and indeed humanity.

The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) is a national people’s organization engaged in people-to-people diplomacy of the People’s Republic of China. 

The CPAFFC was founded on May 3, 1954, on the initiative of ten national public organizations. It was first called the Chinese People’s Association for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries.  The aims of the Association are to enhance people’s friendship, further international cooperation, safeguard world peace and promote common development. On behalf of the Chinese people, it makes friends and deepens friendship in the international community and various countries around the world, lays and expands the social basis of friendly relations between China and other countries, and works for the cause of human progress and solidarity. 

This year, China takes over the BRICS presidency and will host the 9th BRICS Summit.