About The Chinese in South Africa
The Chinese Forum was founded in 2004 and was established by various leaders of the community to provide information and assistance to all Chinese in South Africa.
It is a non-profit organisation that has as its sole aim to provide information about Chinese events and act as a forum for discussion and issues surrounding the Chinese community in Southern Africa.
If you have any questions, issues you wished raised or simply just want to make contact with the Chinese community and inform them of events etc... Please drop us an email!
Brief History of the Chinese in South Africa
Earliest records have Chinese arriving in South Africa in the 1600's.
However, the first majority of Chinese started entering into South Africa in the late 1800's and early 1900's as part of the indentured minelabourers to work in the gold mines. During that time, they assisted in making the Witwatersrand gold mines the most productive gold mines in the world.
Contrary to popular belief, the majority of all these indentured mine workers returned back to China.
The Chinese that remained behind in South Africa during the mid and early 1900's were those that setup shop and decided to make a life here in South Africa. The Chinese settled mainly around Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth (which is the site of South Africa's only Chinese township).
During the Mid 1900's under the apartheid regime, Chinese South African's were deemed Asiatic and classified under the "coloured" definition of the 1950's Population Registration Act. During that time, Chinese people were subjected to all discriminatory apartheid laws. They were not allowed to buy land, own their own shops or go to "white only" areas.
It is estimated that at its peak, there were around 15,000- 20,000 of these local Chinese in South Africa. Currently in 2010, it is estimated to be between 8000-10000
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During the early 1980's many Taiwanese investors and entrepreneurs immigrated to South Africa. They setup factories and companies in South Africa. It is estimated that at its peak the Taiwanese population was over 20,000ppl - currently in 2010, it is estimated to be between 7000-9000
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During the mid 1990's, Mainland Chinese entrepreneurs and investors entered into South Africa, setting up factories, Chinese malls and trade. In 2010, it is estimated that there are around 300,000 Chinese living in South Africa.
Trade and Investment
In 2000 the first Forum on China-Africa Cooperation was established. The aims and objectives of FOCAC were to improve and further nurture relations between China and Africa. Throughout these last four FOCAC meetings, China has established the Chinese Africa Development Fund (CADFund) and has allocated over USD$5billion to invest into Africa.
China is now South Africa's largest trading partner both in exports and imports, with trade between the two countries over R100billion. Bi-laterla trade between the two countries was well over USD$16billion in 2009. It is estimated that this figure for the frist 6 months of 2010 is already over USD$10billion.
In August 2010, South Africa and China signed the "comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement" during President Zuma's state visit to China. Through this agreement, bi-lateral ties between the two countries hope to improve even further! The agreement details areas of cooperation such as: trade, culture, education, power and energy, infrastructure, mining, investments and tourism.
