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China’s growing importance as the world’s fourth biggest economy (after
the US, Europe
and Japan) needs little elaboration. Some facts:
-
China
has grown at about 9, 5% a year since 1990, while the rest of the
world has grown at 3% a year
-
China
has now become the world’s leading manufacturer producing the
following share of various consumer goods
-
20%
of refrigerators, 25% of washing machines, 30% of television sets,
30% of air conditioners, 50% of cameras
-
China’s motor industry doubled in the first half of 2003
-
China’s demand for steel, nickel, iron ore, manganese, chrome, coal and
platinum has had a profound effect on the consumption and prices of
these metals
There is room in China
for South African businesses – whether in brewing, trading, business
services, banking or mining. South African companies are already there. This first-ever conference, at the Johannesburg
Securities Exchange on
24th February, was intended to highlight those opportunities. The conference, which
was a follow-up to one which Omega organized
in Shanghai
in November, brought to South Africa
a heavy-weight Chinese team led by the Vice-President of the Shanghai
Stock Exchange. The Chinese are looking for business opportunities here and this
conference provided that platform. Major themes of the conference
included:
-
China:
the opportunities for SA companies
-
China’s wealth from a mineral and resource point of view
-
What
China
needs from South Africa
-
Gold
Fields tells its story
-
What
China offers South African mining technology and infrastructure companies
and consultancies.
-
Understanding
the Chinese business culture
-
Accessing
China
-
Some
South African success stories
Just
as the 20th Century has been described as the century of the USA, so the 21st Century will
be described as the century of China. This
was an opportunity to learn about this
vast and amazing market and the opportunities to do business there.
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