Deputy President Paul Mashatile has urged a significant expansion of economic cooperation between South Africa and China, calling for increased investment in high-impact sectors to accelerate industrialisation, create jobs, and drive sustainable, long-term growth. Addressing business leaders and policymakers at the South Africa–China Economic and Trade Forum held at the Mount Nelson Hotel on Friday, Mashatile positioned the bilateral partnership as a critical lever for South Africa’s economic transformation—while emphasising the need to move beyond traditional trade patterns. Trade Growth Masks Structural Imbalance China remains South Africa’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade rising by 6.4% from US$34.2 billion in…