by AKANI CHAUKEJOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – CHINA and South Africa launched a joint business centre to deepen trade ties. The China-South Africa Centre’s first project involves a US$120 million energy storage deal. “This marks that cooperation between young entrepreneurs from China and South Africa has entered a new stage of institutionalization,” organisers stated. The energy storage project comes as South Africa grapples with persistent power shortages that have hampered economic growth. China is South Africa’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $54,3 billion in 2022, according to Chinese customs data.