South Africa looks to Africa and China ties as global trade fences go up

By Libby George

South Africa’s trade minister said his country is pursuing more robust trade and investment ties within the continent and with China – its biggest trade partner – as the global trade environment becomes increasingly fraught.

Parks Tau said that while he has had extensive and positive engagements with leaders in the United States, and collaborative relationships with Europe, South Africa is keen to develop more trade within Africa.

Trade globally, he said, was becoming increasingly complicated as the U.S. and China impose tariffs on each other, while Europe has added carbon import taxes.

“There’s almost an undeclared trade war,” he told Reuters after attending the FT Africa summit in London. “It has a direct impact on us.”

Concerns have risen among global finance leaders that if Donald Trump were to win next week’s U.S. presidential election it could mark the start of a fresh tit-for-tat global trade war.

Trump has vowed