Libreville, a magnet for both State-owned, small companies

More than 1,000 Chinese private companies and small businesses are making an economic impact on Gabon that rivals that of the big State-owned corporations, owners say.

Xu Gongde, entrepreneur and former president of the Overseas Chinese Association of Gabon, says the long-term impact of Chinese private businesses of all sizes in Africa often escapes notice, but should not be underestamated.

"There are a bit more than 1,000 Chinese private businesses here," Xu says. Some people say State-owned companies can't build up an economy, but we (private companies and small and medium-sized enterprises) definitely can, because large companies can't tap into what we are good at. Instead of doing big, one-off projects, we are here to stay."