Cooperation benefits all people

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By Chen Deming (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-11-07 08:30

2009 is a year when China-Africa economic and trade relationship will continue to prosper on the strong momentum. The Chinese government will, as always, follow the principle of "sincerity and friendship, equal treatment, mutual support and common development", deepen trade and economic cooperation, fight the financial crisis and achieve the goal of common development. I would like to offer the following propositions:

The first proposition is to create a sound environment for cooperation. Coordination shall be intensified at both multilateral and bilateral levels to ensure mutual support for tackling all challenges, including fighting protectionism, promoting the reform of international financial system and addressing global warming. Bilateral trade and investment environment shall be improved and a public service platform be built to facilitate cooperation. The negotiation, signing and implementation of investment protection agreements shall be encouraged and cooperation among financial institutions be strengthened. African Commodities Exhibitions shall be organized well to enlarge the two-way flow of goods.

The second proposition is to elevate the level of trade and economic cooperation. A cooperation mechanism for supervision of imports and exports shall be established to safeguard the interests of consumers on both sides. Efforts shall be made to set up overseas logistics centers in African countries and promote quality exports to Africa. The scope of commodities eligible for duty exemption shall be expanded to increase imports from Africa. Two-way investment shall be further substantiated with China continuing to encourage and support competent and creditworthy companies to invest in Africa while welcoming African entrepreneurs to invest and set up ventures in China.

The third proposition is to enrich the approaches of bilateral cooperation. Rigorous work shall be carried out to explore new ways and means of cooperation, facilitating the shift from a trade-centric approach to one that takes trade as the mainstay while placing equal emphasis on other approaches such as investment, services, technology and project contracting, and advancing cooperation in such sectors as tourism, finance, education and environmental protection. Efforts will be directed to ensure the success of overseas trade and economic cooperation zones, attracting greater investment inflow from Chinese companies and providing convenience of access for small and medium-sized African enterprises to these cooperation zones.

The fourth proposition is to deepen cooperation on projects related to the well-being of the people. Continuous efforts will be committed to advancing cooperation in fields such as human resource training, healthcare, education, environmental protection, technology transfer and tourism. The level of cooperation will be elevated in such fields as agricultural infrastructure, grain production, farming and animal husbandry, transfer and exchanges of agricultural technology as well as processing of agricultural produce. Smooth implementation of aid projects to Africa such as the agro-technology demonstration centers, hospitals, schools and malaria prevention and treatment centers shall be ensured. Efforts shall also be intensified in terms of infrastructure investment in Africa.

Both Africa and China are lands brimming with hope in the current of globalization. We firmly believe that as long as we join hands and work in concert, China-Africa trade and economic cooperation will be bracing for an even brighter future, to the extent of benefiting people from both sides with a wider and deeper dimension.

The author is the Minister of Commerce. The article first appeared in The Egyptian Gazette.

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