FAW establishes vehicle manufacturing plant in Coega IDZ, SA

Nelson Mandela Bay, July 10 (People's Daily Online) — FAW officially opens its vehicle manufacturing plant in South Africa today, which also marks a momentous event, as the first FAW commercial vehicle, built in SA, rolled off the assembly line at the plant at Coega, Nelson Mandela Bay, in the Eastern Cape.

South African President Jacob Zuma attended the opening ceremony. “FAW has been in our market for 20 years providing passenger and commercial vehicles，”said Zuma in his speech. “However, your decision to locate the production facility in Coega is a most welcome vote of confidence in Nelson Mandela Bay and in the Eastern Cape Province.”

“South Africa is a pearl shining brilliantly in Africa and boasts unique conditions for development,” said Chinese Ambassador Tian Xuejun. “Further strengthening the new type of strategic partnership with Africa is an established policy of the Chinese government.”

The FAW plant is one of the most important and largest investments made by a Chinese entity in South Africa to date. The Coega plant with build-capacity of 5,000 units per annum represents the first high-quality Chinese manufacturer to set-up and contribute on this scale in the Eastern Cape region.

Expected to ramp-up to produce 5,000 trucks per annum, the plant will supply trucks to the South African market, as well as to the rest of Africa, in both right-hand and left-hand-drive derivatives. The current projections are that 40 percent of production will be destined for the South African territories, while 60 percent will be exported.