On February 6, Shu Wei, Vice Minister of the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) met in Beijing with a delegation led by Parks Tau, Minister of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) of South Africa. The two sides exchanged views on issues such as “soft connectivity” of rules and standards and fair competition.

Shu Wei stated that, under the strategic guidance of the two countries’ heads of state, China-South Africa relations have been elevated to a new-era comprehensive strategic partnership. SAMR looks forward to deepening cooperation with DTIC in such fields as metrology, standards and conformity assessment, so as to promote “soft connectivity” of rules and standards and further provide a technical and fundamental foundation for unimpeded trade and industrial synergy between the two countries. Parks Tau expressed appreciation for the cooperation outcomes achieved between the quality infrastructure institutions of both sides and voiced readiness to set up regular cooperation mechanisms with SAMR at the ministerial level to deepen practical cooperation in “soft connectivity”.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from relevant departments of SAMR.