Cape Town: Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth and Tourism – Alderman James Vos went to Shanghai, China on a trade mission with Wesgro and his Investment Positioning Team from the City of Cape Town. There he connected with business leaders, investors and SA Tourism to open doors for trade, tourism and investment opportunities that can boost the economy back home.
They also met with the South African Consul General to fine-tune ways that they can support companies, by establishing operations in Cape Town and making it easier for them to invest and grow in the city.
As part of the programme, they visited the several green energy and technology manufacturing factories, learning more about their innovative solutions and exploring how they can align them with opportunities back home.
They also hosted a roundtable with CEOs from leading green energy and technology firms to discuss partnerships that can drive sustainable growth and job creation.
With SA Tourism, James Vos shared the exciting new City of Cape Town’s destination with Marketing Campaign. This Is Cape Town, which will soon launch on WeChat platforms to attract more visitors from China and beyond.
This campaign highlighted the very best of Cape Town, its people, experiences and endless possibilities. They also attended the Food and Hospitality Expo, with one of the World’s Largest gatherings of its kind, where they supported Western Cape businesses proudly showcasing their products to potential global partners or buyers.
At the Wine Pro Event, Vos had the opportunity to speak at a masterclass session about their exceptional wine industry, which is one of the pillars of the Western Cape’s economy and identity.
His focus was mainly on the ‘grape to glass’ concept, which celebrates every step of the process, from the vineyard and the craftsmanship of the producers to the sustainability practices that make their wines among the most responsible and respected in the world.
It’s a story of quality, care and community, and one that continues to drive both local jobs and international recognition. This mission is all about building connections, unlocking opportunities and ensuring that more trade and investment, flows back home to power growth and create jobs for the people.
Further explaining his visit to Shanghai, China, Alderman James Vos expressed that it has been a standout moment in the work to open new markets and attract investment for Cape Town.
He shared glimpses from the event and said that it was his honour to lead this delegation, as a mission that reflects one of his central priorities, by opening more markets for Cape Town businesses and attracting greater foreign investment into the city. These engagements are practical, focus on steps to unlock opportunities that support jobs, growth, and greater global reach for Cape Town.
According to Vos this mission stands out as one of the most impactful that he has undertaken. They held outcomes-driven meetings with green-tech and energy manufacturers who will be in Cape Town next week to explore setting up operations.
Vos and his team engaged financial institutions to unlock export funding for local businesses. They met with CEOs of multinational companies to connect them with local production partners, with the Consul General to strengthen investment facilitation, and with SA Tourism to advance destination marketing resources and their rollout of the WeChat campaign.
They also deepened cooperation with Invest Shanghai on joint investment positioning and proudly showcasing the world-class Western Cape businesses at the Food & Hospitality Expo and Wine Pro.
Looking ahead, Vos stated that the next major step he would take is likely to see achieving a direct flight between Cape Town and China, a move that would significantly boost trade, tourism and investment flows for the region. He extended sincere thanks to Wesgro for their excellent arrangements and partnership throughout this mission.