Cape Town Strengthens Economic Ties in China: Alderman James Vos Leads Trade Delegation to Shanghai
Piece by James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth
The City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos, led a targeted trade and investment mission to Shanghai, with a clear focus: expanding market access for Cape Town businesses and attracting new investment into the city’s economy.
The visit, coordinated by Wesgro, the official investment and trade promotion agency for the Western Cape and the City of Cape Town, centred on practical, outcomes-driven engagements with industry leaders, investors, government partners, and tourism stakeholders.
“It was my honour to lead this delegation,” Alderman Vos said. “For me, unlocking new markets for Cape Town businesses and attracting greater foreign investment is a core priority. These engagements help us build partnerships that translate into real opportunities for jobs and economic growth.”
Throughout the mission, the delegation met with green-tech and energy manufacturers who have confirmed they will travel to Cape Town in the coming period to explore setting up operations. Meetings with financial institutions focused on securing export funding for local companies, while engagements with multinational CEOs were used to connect them with Cape Town-based production and supply-chain partners.
The delegation also held discussions with Invest Shanghai to explore cooperation on joint investment positioning in key sectors, aimed at promoting Cape Town and Shanghai as complementary destinations for business expansion and market growth.
Further engagements with the South African Consul General supported work on improving investment facilitation, while meetings with SA Tourism strengthened destination marketing efforts, including advancing the rollout of the City of Cape Town’s destination marketing campaign on the WeChat platform to reach the Chinese visitor market.
Cape Town’s food, wine, and hospitality producers were prominently showcased at the Food & Hospitality Expo and Wine Pro. Alderman Vos actively supported the Western Cape exhibitors by working the stands with them, meeting Chinese buyers, and promoting Western Cape products directly to the market. At Wine Pro, he opened the South African wine stand by delivering a masterclass focused on the “grape-to-glass” philosophy, a sustainability-driven approach that tracks the journey of every bottle from vineyard practices to final presentation. This method highlights the Western Cape’s commitment to traceability, ethical production, and environmental stewardship, which are increasingly important to global buyers.
“As I told the audience in Shanghai, the grape-to-glass approach shows exactly why Western Cape wines stand out,” said Alderman Vos. “It reflects our dedication to quality, sustainability, and transparency, values that international consumers and trade partners are looking for.”
Alderman Vos noted the value of deepening economic ties between South Africa and China. “China is one of South Africa’s most important trade partners. Strengthening these relationships is essential for supporting exporters, expanding tourism, and securing long-term investment for Cape Town’s economy.”
He added that a key next milestone is improved air connectivity between the two regions. “A direct flight between Cape Town and China would significantly boost trade, tourism, and investment flows. This is a priority we will continue to pursue.”
Alderman Vos expressed appreciation for the coordination of the mission, saying: “My thanks to Wesgro for their excellent arrangements and partnership throughout this mission. Their support ensures that our engagements are purposeful and geared towards real outcomes.”
With follow-up visits already scheduled and new interest from Chinese investors, Alderman Vos added that the mission reflects Cape Town’s ongoing commitment to building strong international connections that support local opportunities and economic growth.
