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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao gives a
speech at the opening ceremony of the High-level Dialogue and the Second
Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs at the Great Hall of the
People in Beijing, Nov. 4, 2006. (Xinhua Photo)
Photo Gallery
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BEIJING, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- China and Africa should
fully tap cooperation potential and strive to bring their trade volume to 100
billion U.S. dollars by 2010, Premier Wen Jiabao proposed Saturday at the
opening ceremony of the High-level Dialogue and 2nd Conference of Chinese and
African Entrepreneurs.
The figure will more than double the 2005 level,
about 39.7 billion U.S. dollars. In the first nine months, China-Africa trade
surged to 40.6 billion U.S. dollars, up 42 percent year-on-year.
"Although China's trade has been running a deficit
against Africa in recent years, China still hopes to further expand its import
from African countries," Wen told 27 presidents and 6 prime ministers from
Africa, as well as nearly 1,300 Chinese and African entrepreneurs at the
gathering.
Earlier Saturday, at the opening ceremony of the
Beijing Summit of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, President Hu Jintao made
fresh pledges to facilitate bilateral trade and cooperation. He said China will
double its aid to Africa by 2009, increase from 190 to over 440 the number of
tariff-free import items from the least developed African countries having
diplomatic ties with China.
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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao gives a
speech at the opening ceremony of the High-level Dialogue and the Second
Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs at the Great Hall of the
People in Beijing, capital of China, on Nov. 4, 2006. (Xinhua
Photo)
Photo Gallery
>>> |
China will also provide 3 billion U.S. dollars in
preferential loans and 2 billion U.S. dollars of export credits over the next
three years and establish a special fund of 5 billion U.S. dollars to encourage
Chinese investment in Africa.
Calling these measures "pragmatic and stimulative",
Wen made five proposals to entrepreneurs from both China and Africa.
He said both sides should work closer in service
sectors, tourism, finance and telecommunications in particular, to cultivate new
economic growth points and facilitate trade in a more balanced and healthier
manner.
He said China will encourage capable and reputed
indigenous companies to invest in Africa and spread their technology and
management experiences.
"African companies interested in investing in China
are welcome," Wen said.
African leaders attending the conference also called
for expanding trade and promoting cooperation in the business circles.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Ato Meles Zenawi said
business communities could evolve into a crucial force to facilitate cooperation
between China and African countries. Without solid support of civil
collaboration, Africa-China cooperation may not flourish.
Gabonese President El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba said
Central Africa, a peaceful land with 130 million population, has gradually
walked out of various difficulties and created a favorable environment for
international trade and foreign investment.
He believes China and African countries will find out
new measures at the FOCAC Beijing Summit to further cement cooperation so as to
upgrade their strategic partnership to a higher level.
Nigerien President Mamadou Tandja, also chairman of
the Economic Community of West African States, said the economic community
wishes to build a more effective partnership with China so as to improve
infrastructure systems, fulfill agricultural modernization and lift up
industrial competitiveness.
Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili, also
representing the Southern African Development Community (SADC), said although
Africa and China have made great achievements in bilateral economic and trade
cooperation, the two still have to increase their trade volume, for the present
volume "only accounts for 2.1 percent of China's global trade volume."
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said while
expanding trade is one of the prior goals in Africa-China cooperation,
investment is crucial in achieving these goals, particularly investment in
agriculture, infrastructure, energy and new technology sectors.
Rwandese President and sitting Chairman of Common
Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Paul Kagame said facing
challenges in infrastructure, transportation, power and telecommunications,
COMESA hopes Chinese companies expand investment in the region.
COMESA appreciates Chinese government's zero-tariff
treatment to some products from Africa, hoping this treatment be expanded
tocover more goods from more African countries, he said.
The COMESA, a huge market striving to eliminate
internal tariff and non-tariff barriers, invites Chinese firms to invest in
various economic sectors, he said, mentioning the potential in tourism
exchanges.
In order to develop cooperation between business
circles of China and Africa, China Council for the Promotion of
InternationalTrade (CCPIT) and the Union of African Chambers of Commerce,
Industry, Agriculture, and Professions (UACCIAP) will formally set up the
China-Africa Joint Chamber of Commerce on Sunday, according to Wan Jifei,
chairman of CCPIT.
The opening ceremony of the two-day conference was
chaired by Chinese Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai, which is jointly sponsored by
the commerce ministry and CCPIT.
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