|
Equal chances urged for Chinese firms in Africa
By Jiang Zhuqing (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-01-03 06:35
China should have the same opportunity to take part in the development of
Africa as any other country.
So said Khalid Malik, the United Nations resident co-ordinator in China, in a
recent interview.
The UN encourages Chinese companies, especially private ones, to invest in
Africa, which is still a new place for many Chinese companies. China now needs
more and more resources to sustain its rapid growth; the nation's economic
success can be turned into an opportunity for both itself and Africa, said
Malik, also resident representative of the United Nations Development Program
(UNDP) in China.
Malik said Western companies have already established a network of links and
market privileges in Africa. But Chinese companies there still lag behind their
Western counterparts in terms of size and competitiveness, said the official.
A better Sino-African relationship would give China more chances to help
reduce poverty and promote investment in the continent, he added.
Malik said co-operation between China and Africa is based on friendship and
is sustainable in the long-term, adding that there are many similarities between
Chinese and African cultures. For example, he said, "both sides emphasize that
friendship is more important than business." The general strengthening of
China-Africa relations is the result of political will and economic interests
coming together.
According to official figures, trade volume between China and Africa grew
from US$1 billion in 2000 to more than US$29.4 billion in 2004.
But Malik said the volume was still small, as it accounted for less than 3
per cent of China's total trade volume in 2004.
Malik said China has set an example in using the private sector to reduce
poverty.
Private companies in China launched a government-supported poverty
alleviation programme in 1994. Now the Guangcai Programme, also known as the
Glory Programme, has become a major contributor to the UNDP's global poverty
reduction efforts.
The UNDP and the Guangcai Programme are now actively involved in setting up
the China-Africa Business Council (CABC), a non-governmental organization.
The CABC plans to set up representative offices in six African countries
Cameroon, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania and Kenya to promote exchanges
between Chinese and African firms.
Through this partnership with the CABC, the UNDP will provide certain
services for Chinese companies in Africa. These will include information on the
investment environment, contact with decision-making authorities and the
identification of strong and reliable partners.
(China Daily 01/03/2006 page2)
|
