South Africa's Gauteng Province is set to finalize a trade agreement to export products to China's Hunan Province, a provincial government official said.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi made the announcement on Monday night while delivering the State of the Province Address in Pretoria, the country's administrative capital.

"We will soon finalize a groundbreaking agreement with Hunan Province in China. This will open new trade avenues for our small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) to export nuts, rooibos tea, biltong, honey, moringa, and wine to Hunan's vast market of over 66 million people across 13 cities without major restrictions," said Lesufi.

He described the partnership as a game changer for small businesses, enabling them to expand operations, create jobs, and boost economic growth. "We are committed to ensuring that SMMEs receive the necessary support to succeed in this international venture," he added.

As South Africa's economic hub, Gauteng has hosted numerous trade forums with Chinese officials. The province signed a memorandum of cooperation with Beijing in 2017, fostering collaboration in investment, trade, legislation, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.

Source: Xinhua