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 coordinator 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 cooperation 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 percent 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 program in 1994. Now the Guangcai Program, also
known as the Glory Program, has become a major contributor to the
UNDP's global poverty reduction efforts.
The UNDP and the Guangcai Program 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 January 3, 2006)