Dr. Martyn Davies

CEO of Frontier Advisory (Pty) Ltd., Director of the China Africa Network and the Asia Corporate Network at the Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria

The management of Frontier Advisory has been engaging a number of Chinese think tanks for many years, as well as through our affiliation with Gordon Institute of Business Science of the University of Pretoria, and through the activities of Frontier Advisory staff. Engagements with Chinese think tanks around conferences, seminars, research undertakings and publications have included many Chinese think tanks and institutions.

Some of the things we need to address include: better understanding of China-Africa relations, dispelling myths and investigating practical areas of cooperation; better understanding of South Africa's role as a gateway to Africa for China's commercial engagement of the continent, and the benefits of South Africa becoming part of the BRICS grouping; exchange of ideas and formulation of policies for enhancing greater commercial cooperation between China and South Africa; better understanding China's developmental model and drawing practical lessons and policy implications from these, specifically in terms of poverty alleviation, economic diversification and industrialization for Africa; understanding South Africa and China's roles in enhancing peace and security on the African continent; exchanges between scholars and practical understanding of our respective countries and regions, cultures, business ethics, and so forth.

My expectations are closer cooperation, exchanges and joint research undertakings and dissemination to our respective governments, informing the FOCAC agenda in a variety of sectors based on collaborative and thorough research undertakings.