Biz leaders vow to forge stronger partnerships

Business leaders from China and Africa expressed optimism and called for increased cooperation in industrial fields between the two sides.

At the eighth Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs held on the sidelines of the 2024 FOCAC Summit in Beijing on Friday, participants addressed two key topics: advancing the integration of industrial and supply chains and promoting the development of emerging industries.

They agreed that China-Africa cooperation aligns with the fundamental interests of both China and African countries and expressed their commitment to enhancing trade opportunities.

Patrice Barthelemy Melom, general manager at the Port Authority of Kribi in Cameroon, said China is an important trading partner and a key source of investment for Cameroon, and that China has provided billions of dollars in funding for key infrastructure projects in Cameroon, such as the Kribi Deepwater Port.

China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years. China-Africa trade reached a record high of $282.1 billion last year, up 1.5 percent year-on-year, according to statistics released by China's Ministry of Commerce.

Jia Shaoqian, chairman of China's Hisense Group, said Hisense entered the South African market 30 years ago. "We have invested in the construction of a 100,000-square-meter industrial park in South Africa, which has created more than 1,000 direct jobs and more than 5,000 indirect ones," Jia said.

"Over the past three decades, Hisense has deeply integrated with African enterprises within the continent's industrial and supply chains. We have gained mutual trust and win-win successful experiences," Jia said.

Li Zixue, chairman of ZTE Corporation, said ZTE has been in the African market since 1997. "We have witnessed and participated in the evolution of African communication technology from 2G to 5G. The network built by ZTE covers 400 million users across Africa, and we have established mutually beneficial strategic partnerships with operators in over 50 countries in the region," Li said.

Ken Poonoosamy, CEO of the Economic Development Board of Mauritius, hopes that more Chinese enterprises will increase their investments in Africa. The African Continental Free Trade Area is expected to become the fifth-largest trade zone by 2050, offering Chinese companies opportunities and convenience to enter a unified African market and expand their operations across the continent, he said.

"We are optimistic about the future of China-Africa collaboration", he said, adding that building partnerships is crucial for achieving shared success and prosperity.

Conference participants echoed the enthusiasm for trade.

Abdillahi Mouhoumed Ismael, director of the Chamber of Commerce of Djibouti, said: "We hope China will invest more in Africa, which is rich in natural resources. This is an area of particular interest to me."

Abdillahi, also general manager of Djibouti Laundry, said: "The washing machines my friends import from other countries often break down quickly, but the ones I got from Guangzhou are very durable. Even after seven years of use, they still work perfectly," he said. "That's why my business partners prefer to source industrial products from China as they offer great quality at affordable prices."

Hamidou Diallo, CEO of UmarU Group, highlighted the growing opportunities for cooperation between China and Africa, particularly through Public-Private Partnership projects.

Diallo, from Mali, mentioned the potential for industrial growth, particularly in sectors like machinery and technology, as strategic action plans have been laid out.

"We're primarily in the machinery business, but we also engage in general trade, importing goods such as cars from other countries. In the past, we've sourced mainly from Europe. Now we look forward to starting machinery trade with China," Diallo said.

More than 380 representatives from Chinese enterprises and some 400 representatives from 48 African countries took part in the conference.