China will today formally announce its largest investment in South Africa for two years, entrenching its position as the resource-rich continent’s most important economic and commercial partner.

　　中國將于今日正式宣布兩年來對南非的最大規(guī)模投資，鞏固其作為這個資源豐富大陸最重要經(jīng)濟(jì)和商業(yè)合作伙伴的地位。

　　The China Africa Development Fund and the Jidong Development Group will help build a new cement plant worth at least R1.5bn ($200m), the Financial Times has learned.

　　英國《金融時報》獲悉，中非發(fā)展基金(China Africa Development Fund)和冀東發(fā)展集團(tuán)(Jidong Development Group)將幫助南非建造一個至少價值15億蘭特（合2億美元）的水泥廠。

　　The announcement lays the ground for the planned August visit to Beijing by Jacob Zuma, South African president, who has made deepening economic and political ties with China a key foreign policy priority.

　　這一宣布將為南非總統(tǒng)雅各布•祖馬(Jacob Zuma)8月訪問北京提供鋪墊。祖馬已經(jīng)把加深與中國的經(jīng)濟(jì)和政治聯(lián)系作為一項關(guān)鍵的外交政策要務(wù)。

　　China emerged as South Africa’s largest trading partner last year, partly due to a large rise in iron ore exports, mirroring a trend in other countries on the continent, which have been courted by Beijing for their resources and growing markets.

　　中國去年成為南非最大的貿(mào)易伙伴，一定程度上歸因于南非對華的鐵礦石出口大幅增長，這與非洲大陸其它國家的趨勢相符。由于資源豐富和市場日益增長，中國一直在向非洲示好。

　　The latest agreement will see the two Chinese entities partnering Continental Cement, a local enterprise, and Women Investment Portfolio Holdings, a South African company dedicated to empowering black women. They will build the new plant in Gauteng province, outside Johannesburg.

　　根據(jù)最新協(xié)議，兩家中國機(jī)構(gòu)將與南非當(dāng)?shù)仄髽I(yè)大陸水泥(Continental Cement)和“婦女投資組合控股”(Women Investment Portfolio Holdings)的合作，在約翰內(nèi)斯堡周邊的豪登(Gauteng)地區(qū)建造新工廠。“婦女投資組合控股”是南非一家致力于賦權(quán)黑人婦女的企業(yè)。

　　The new plant is aimed at making up a recent shortfall of domestic building products, such as cement, much of it caused by the huge infrastructure programme from construction for the football World Cup.

　　新工廠旨在生產(chǎn)南非國內(nèi)最近短缺的水泥等建材，短缺在很大程度上是由世界杯足球賽的龐大基建工程引起的。

　　Congested roads and railways make it relatively costly for South Africa to import cement, so investment in local production facilities is more attractive.

　　南非公路和鐵路運力緊張，使得進(jìn)口水泥相對成本高昂，因此在當(dāng)?shù)赝顿Y建廠更具吸引力。

　　Growing economic ties with China and other big emerging markets have paved the way for closer political ties, especially since Mr Zuma took from the sceptical former president Thabo Mbeki last May.

　　南非與中國以及其它大型新興市場的經(jīng)濟(jì)聯(lián)系不斷發(fā)展，這為加強(qiáng)雙方的政治聯(lián)系鋪平了道路，尤其是自祖馬去年5月接替持懷疑態(tài)度的塔博•姆貝基(Thabo Mbeki)擔(dān)任總統(tǒng)以來。

　　A $5.5bn investment by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China in South Africa’s Standard Bank agreed in October 2007 remains by far the largest Chinese investment in Africa to date, accounting for about a quarter of the funds Beijing dedicated to the continent.

　　2007年10月達(dá)成的中國工商銀行(ICBC)對南非標(biāo)準(zhǔn)銀行(Standard Bank)投資55億美元的協(xié)議，迄今仍是中國在非洲的最大規(guī)模投資——大約占到中國投資非洲資金的四分之一。

　　Much of that investment has concentrated on roads, power plants and other infrastructure, but analysts say a growing number of Chinese companies are beginning to buy building and other materials locally. They are also eyeing Africa’s fast-growing consumer markets.

　　大部分投資集中于公路、電廠和其它基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施，但分析師表示，越來越多的中國公司開始在當(dāng)?shù)刭徺I建筑和其它原材料。它們也在關(guān)注非洲快速發(fā)展的消費市場。

　　For example, FAW, a Chinese carmaker, last month announced a $100m investment in South Africa. “Chinese companies are coming to the party,” said Martyn Davies, of Frontier Advisory Services, a Johannesburg-based consultancy.

　　例如，中國汽車制造商一汽(FAW)上月宣布在南非投資1億美元。約翰內(nèi)斯堡咨詢公司Frontier Advisory Services的馬丁•戴維斯(Martyn Davies)表示：“中國公司來參加派對了。”

　　Mr Davies predicted the China African Development Fund will probably fund much of this investment. CADF, which eventually expects to have $5bn available, established a South African office last March. “They have a lot more deals in the pipeline,” he said.

　　戴維斯預(yù)計，中非發(fā)展基金將為此次投資提供大部分資金。預(yù)計該基金最終會擁有50億美元投資資金。去年3月，中非發(fā)展基金在南非開設(shè)了一家辦公室。戴維斯表示：“它們有更多的協(xié)議正在商談之中。”