Tau says SA's relationship with China not a quick fix to looming US tariffs
Minister of Trade and Industry Parks Tau made the comments at a joint media briefing with Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola in the east of Johannesburg on Monday.
Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, addressed a joint press briefing with DIRCO at the Germiston Civic Centre, Johannesburg on 4 August 2025 on South Africa’s response measures to the US tariffs. Picture: @GovernmentZA/X
JOHANNESBURG - Minister of Trade and Industry Parks Tau said that South Africa’s relationship with China was not a silver bullet as Pretoria sets its eyes on new markets amid tougher business terms with the United States (US).
Tau made the comments at a joint media briefing with Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola in the east of Johannesburg on Monday.
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This comes as South Africa makes another attempt to re-negotiate economic and bilateral ties ahead of the implementation of sweeping tariffs by US President Donald Trump this week.
South Africa's 30% tariffs are expected to cripple agriculture and manufacturing, shed an estimated 30,000 jobs and shave off 0.2% off economic growth.
While government said it was strengthening trade and investment with other African countries, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas, Tau said that focusing on ties with China was not a quick fix.
"It does take long to secure markets, but these are markets we’ve been working on, and I elaborated on China, but that was just one example. I’m not going to ignore that that does not come with geopolitical implications, but we’ve always taken a view that as a country, we’re non-partisan. As a country, we’ve taken a view that we will trade with all parties on the basis on what’s best for us. I’m not suggesting that there’s unlikely to be complications."