South Africa and China Monday signed an extension to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in the labor field agreed to in 2002.

 

Briefing the media at parliament after the signing ceremony in Cape Town, South African Labor Minister Membathisi Mdladlana said the agreement focused on human resources development, job creation strategies, and cooperation in the International Labor Organization (ILO).

 

Chinese Labor and Social Security Vice Minister Zhang Xiaojian echoed that the MoU signified enhanced cooperation between South Africa and China, which faced similar challenges in the labor and social security fields.

 

The two countries had much to share, despite their different cultures, he added.

 

Among other things, China had managed to create 10 million jobs a year over the past four years and had much experience to offer South Africa in this regard, he said.

 

Mdladlana agreed, saying South Africa was creating only about 500,000 jobs a year, not enough to meet the goal of halving unemployment by 2014.

 

The Chinese delegation arrived in Cape Town on Monday and will spend five days in the country.

 

Among other things, they will visit several skills training projects in the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2006)