AGREEMENTS to be signed next week between President Thabo Mbeki and visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao could pave the way for a sharp rise in South African fruit exports to China. Hu, who arrives in a week’s time on a two-day state visit, will sign protocols on phytosanitary requirements for the export to China of pears, table grapes, apples and tobacco leaf.

China’s ambassador to SA, Liu Guijin, said in Pretoria yesterday that China would consider financial aid beyond the already committed R19m to help the government’s Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for SA (Asgi-SA), and its skills training plan, Jipsa. Philip Alves, an economist on a development through trade project at the South African Institute of International Affairs, said the protocols on fruit exports could give SA’s fruit exports to China a boost.

South African fruit exports to China last year amounted to R25,5m, up from R4,4m in the previous year. Nearly 90% of SA’s fruit exports are citrus. Fruit remains a small portion of SA’s overall exports to China of $4,1bn last year, while SA’s total imports from China came to $5,8bn.

An expansion of SA’s fruit exports will help diversify trade to a small extent away from Africa’s mineral exports to China, which opens up Beijing to accusations that it is concerned only about Africa because of its resources. Alves said these agreements were positive for SA’s exports as China’s use of quotas and “opaque standards” at ports of entry had been a problem for South African fruit exporters.

At last year’s China-Africa summit in Beijing, the Chinese committed themselves to a greater opening of their markets to African products. Hu’s Africa tour of eight countries, which begins today, is aimed at demonstrating Chinese commitment to implementing the outcome of the summit. Hu’s visit amounts to a show of the importance in which China holds its Africa policy as it comes about a year after his visit to four African countries.

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiaboa visited seven countries, including SA, last year. On this trip, Hu will also visit Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique and the Seychelles.

Liu said Hu would urge Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to allow a hybrid United Nations and Africa Union force into Darfur. Until late last year there was little indication that the Chinese were prepared to help persuade Sudan to do this.