On December 13, 2016, Jingmen GEM New Materials Co. Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as the "Jingmen GEM") an d the Trade an d Investment Commission of KwaZulu-Natal Province (hereinafter referred to as KZN) signed the Memoran dum of Understan ding on the China-Africa Circular Economy Industrial Park project, promoting the development of a world-class circular economy industrial park in South Africa. It represents a new era for China an d South Africa through the collaboration between Hubei Province, KZN Province an d Durban City. The signing ceremony was held at the Oysterbox Hotel in Durban with the theme of “Linked by cobalt material for co-operation, co-construction, communion an d co-win”. The attendees include Chairman an d Member of Executive Council of KZN Province, Sihle Zikalala; Mayor of Durban, Zan dile Gumede; CEO of Economic Development Committee of KwaZulu-Natal Province, Zamo Gwala; President of the Durban Chamber of Business an d Industry, Dumile Cele; Deputy Governor of Hubei Provincial People’s Government, Xu Kezhen; Deputy Secretary General of Hubei Provincial People’s Government, He Shengyou; Director of the State-owned Assets Supervision an d Administration Commission of Hubei Provincial People’s Government, Wen Zhenfu; Deputy Director of Hubei Provincial Development an d Reform Commission, Zhang Xinping; President of Hubei Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Wu Jianming; Chairman of the Board of GEM Co., Ltd., Kaihua Xu; Finance Director of GEM Co., Ltd., Song Wanxiang; Shareholder of Shu Powders Ltd., Justin Nell an d General Manager of Shu Powders Ltd., Michael Oehlers; an d 50 more guests who are government officers of KZN an d Durban, representatives of Chamber of Commerce an d Industry of Durban an d Hubei, as well as staff of Shu Metal (South Africa).

During the signing ceremony, Mayor Zan dile Gumede introduced the beautiful city-Durban, expressed her sincere gratitude to GEM for its contribution to the development of South Africa an d her expectation on establishing a Friendship City relationship between Jingmen an d Durban. Then, Chairman Xu made a speech on the topic of "Let the Green Development Lead the Road to Our Dreams”. He said that this cooperation was a historical step for Jingmen GEM when GEM would further expan d its circular economy industrial layout to South Africa. With the support of the Hubei provincial government, GEM would launch a comprehensive strategic cooperation with KZN provincial an d the Durban municipal governments strategically, develop circular economy industrial park jointly, share the fruits of green development, an d achieve the goal of “Co-operation, Co-construction, Communion an d Co-win”. GEM would devote itself to Durban, contributing to its long-term development, an d bring good fortunes to Durban! In the speech delivered by the Deputy Governor of Hubei Provincial People’s Government, Xu Kezhen, he introduced the natural, political, economic an d cultural characteristics of Hubei Province, described the current comprehensive strategic relationship between China an d South Africa an d expressed his good wishes an d confidence in the cooperation between Hubei Province, KZN Province an d Durban City. Sihle Zikalala, Chairman an d Member of Executive Council of KZN Province states that KZN provincial government was committed to attach great importance to the environmental protection business an d develop a friendship with China. In addition, KZN provincial government would like to welcome more Chinese enterprises to make investments in South Africa for developing a more beautiful South Africa. Furthermore, there was a letter from Mayor Yitao Zhang, Mayor of Jingmen municipal government an d transferred by Governor Xu Kezhen to Mayor Zan dile Gumede. This letter represents Mayor Zhang’s great expectation on establishing a friendship city relationship with Durban. Mayor Zhang appreciated the support of Durban municipal government on this project which was seen as a bridge to enhance the communication between Jingmen an d Durban. In addition, he hoped that Jingmen an d Durban would work together closely to promote the prosperous development of both cities in a number of fields, i.e. business an d trade, science an d technology, culture an d education. In the end of the ceremony, Chairman of the Board, Xu Kaihua an d CEO of Economic Development Committee of KZN Province, Zamo Gwala signed the Memoran dum of Understan ding on the China-Africa Circular Economy Industrial Park Project which represents the success of this signing ceremony.

Facing to the world, equipped with advanced technologies an d facilities, the principles of the China-Africa Circular Economy Industrial Park are clean product an d environmental protection. Based on the resources in South Africa an d worldwide, this project aims to recover cobalt-nickel material for the production of cobalt an d nickel-rich materials for traction batteries, sustainable management of waste electronic products, sustainable management of end-of-life vehicles an d tungsten recycling; an d associated environmental management engineering projects an d utilities project (i.e. waste, gas, an d electricity supply). Therefore, a circular economy industrial chain from waste management, material recovery to reuse, an d a world leading circular economy industrial park can be developed.

The China-Africa Circular Economy Industrial Park will become the first Circular Economy Park under “One Belt, One Road" Initiative proposed by Chinese government. It will be a green development model for both China an d South Africa an d promote the globalisation of the Chinese circular economy technologies. This industrial park represents a new chapter for the collaboration between China an d South Africa, an d the green development of Hubei Province, KZN Province an d Durban City. As a great achievement under “One Belt One Road” initiative, the development of this industrial park will bring advanced green industry an d associated economic an d social benefits to South Africa.

Figure 1. Welcome speech given by the Mayor of Durban, Zan dile Gumede.

Figure 2. Speech delivered by the Chairman of the Board of GEM Co., Ltd. Xu Kaihua.

Figure 3. Speech given by the Deputy Governor of Hubei Provincial People’s Government, Xu Kezhen.

Figure 4. Speech by the Chairman an d Member of Executive Council of KZN Province, Sihle Zikalala.

Figure 5. A letter from Mayor Yitao Zhang, the Mayor of Jingmen municipal government was transferred by the Governor of Hubei Provincial People’s Government, Xu Kezhen to the Mayor of Durban, Zan dile Gumede.

Figure 6. Signing of the Memoran dum of Understan ding between Jingmen GEM an d the Trade an d Investment Commission of KwaZulu-Natal.

Figure 7. Group photo - Member Sihle Zikalala (the 3rd from the right), Mayor Zan dile Gumede (the 4th from the right), Governor Xu Kezhen (the 5th from the right), Chairman Xu Kaihua (the 5th from the left).