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New regulatory cooperation agreement aims to reduce technical trade barriers, support zero-tariff exports and create opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing, automotive production and green technology. South Africa and China have taken another important step towards building stronger and more balanced trade relations by signing agreements aimed at reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers between the two countries. The agreements establish closer cooperation between South Africa’s Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the DTIC), China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), and the two countries’ standards and accreditation institutions. South African institutions involved include the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications and the South African National Accreditation System. Their Chinese counterparts include SAMR and the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment. The agreements were signed during a high-level meeting led by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau and SAMR Vice-Minister Shu Wei. According to the dtic, the memoranda of understanding will improve cooperation on market regulation, standards, accreditation, testing, inspection and product certification. Turning zero-tariff access into real trade China has remained South Africa’s largest individual-country trading partner for more than a decade. South Africa is also China’s leading trading partner on the African continent. The new agreements are expected to help both countries turn their strong political and economic...