Out of Africa and into a land of trading opportunities

Many expats first come to China to learn the language and discover the marvels of local culture. Time flies, and the next thing they know, decades pass, and the initial seeds of interest have grown into deep roots.

Omer Eisa Ahmed is one such expat who has no regrets about moving from his African home. The diplomat from the Republic of Sudan is currently the director of Sudan Economic & Trade Center at his nation's Embassy in Beijing and has become connected to the Middle Kingdom.

Ahmed arrived in China about 20 years ago and graduated from Tsinghua University in Beijing in 1990.

Like many old China hands, Ahmed is lucky to have mastered the language and has melded into the capital's rich social fabric.

"I have been living and working in Beijing for many years and can speak very fluent Chinese," he says. "I have been acquainted quite extensively to this beautiful and charming ancient city of Beijing, and cherish profound feeling with the honest and friendly Chinese people.

"My wife and four children live in Beijing, and everybody in my family deeply loves Beijing - the city, the people, the culture, the history, the food."

Ahmed's knowledge about, understanding of and experience in China led to a post at the Sudan Economic & Trade Center of Sudan Embassy in Beijing.

The center aims to promote economic and commercial relationships and cooperation between Sudan and China and has witnessed a staggering 100-fold boost in trade over the past 10 years.

Working as a director of the commercial center for the last 10 years, he witnessed the remarkable progress and great achievements on Sino-Sudanese economic and trade relations, he says.

"The bilateral trade volume jumped from $30 million in 1996 to $3.5 billion in 2006.

"Now, Sudan has become the third trade partner of China in Africa. We have built up a golden bridge between Sudan and China. Through our works and efforts, more and more Chinese companies and businessmen are now investing and contracting engineering projects in the Sudan.

"And recently, our two countries enjoy a dynamic and vibrant relationship in a wide scope."

Ahmed is excited about the upcoming Olympics and recently applied to be a Games torchbearer.

"If I could be selected as a torchbearer for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, it will be a great honor and chance for me and for my people," he says. "I will exert greater enthusiasm and energy to Sino-Sudanese friendship and let more Sudanese know more about China and promote Sino-Sudanese exchanges and cooperation to a new momentum."

China Daily

(China Daily 11/02/2007 page19)