A new China–South Africa partnership has officially opened its doors in Woodmead, Johannesburg, with the ambitious goal of training thousands of young people and creating up to 5 000 jobs annually in the digital economy and e-commerce sectors. The CJITG International Industrial Cooperation and Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Park, known as C Park, is supported by Wuhan Changjiang International Trade Group (CJITG), a major Chinese state-owned supply-chain company with operations in agriculture, minerals, cold-chain logistics, and cross-border e-commerce.
Speaking at the launch, Chinese Consul General in Johannesburg, Pan Qingjiang, highlighted the strong foundation built through nearly a decade of educational cooperation between China and South Africa. “These efforts were designed to prepare South African youth for a changing labour market. C Park is the next step, an integrated platform that combines digital skills, entrepreneurship, and international cooperation,” Qingjiang said.
He emphasized the shared priorities of youth employment and digital transformation: “Our cooperation is not abstract. It is built into concrete programmes, shared institutions, and opportunities that touch real lives.”
C Park CEO, Li Wei, described the facility as an ecosystem focused on digital economy,
industrial collaboration, and youth innovation. “What sets C Park apart from other projects on the continent is that we provide one-stop support for entrepreneurs, from market access and supply-chain finance to practical help needed to localise a business. For young people, we offer a structured pathway from skills development to incubation, aiming to create self-sustaining entrepreneurs rather than graduates holding certificates they can’t convert into income,” Li said.
C Park aims to train 2 000 young people annually by 2026 through partnerships with several SETAs under the Department of Higher Education and Training, including LGSETA,
INSETA, and WRSETA. From this cohort, at least 100 local e-commerce start-ups will be
incubated each year, linking into supply-chain opportunities backed by CJITG, including
distribution rights for products from Hubei Province and well-known Chinese brands such as Midea and Bestore.
“By connecting young entrepreneurs to our cross-border e-commerce networks, we aim to lower the barriers that usually keep small South African businesses out of international trade. For South African enterprises hoping to enter the Chinese market, C Park will act as a shortcut to the complex world of exports, logistics, and compliance,” Li added.
The choice of Woodmead, strategically located between Sandton, Midrand, and Alexandra,
aims to balance access to different economic realities. The project hopes to serve as an
accessible training site for young people in Alexandra while providing pathways to international markets for entrepreneurs in Sandton and Midrand. The long-term success of the hub will depend on whether these opportunities reach youth who face additional barriers, such as lack of data, transport, devices, and networks.
