Britain's finance chief sees more trade with South Africa

Britain's finance chief, Philip Hammond, left, speaks whilst South Africa's Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, watches during their media briefing in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. Hammond is in South Africa to try to reassure global partners ahead of his country's planned departure from the European Union. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) (The Associated Press)

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British Finance Minister Philip Hammond listens to South African businessmen during a visit to a British funded project in Cape Town, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016. Philip Hammond, spoke Thursday in Cape Town during an overseas tour to reassure global partners ahead of Britain's planned departure from the European Union. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam) (The Associated Press)

JOHANNESBURG – The finance chief of Britain says he sees big opportunities to build on trade ties with South Africa, which is Britain's biggest export market in Africa.

Philip Hammond, whose title is chancellor of the exchequer, spoke Thursday in Cape Town during an overseas tour to reassure global partners ahead of Britain's planned departure from the European Union. Hammond is also due to visit Japan and South Korea.

Bilateral trade between Britain and South Africa reached nearly 8 billion pounds in 2015.