The cooperative projects with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) framework are in the interest of the people of the Central African Republic, said President Faustin-Archange Touadera of the country in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in Bangui early in August, which was just released.
Touadera said that BRI projects carried out in his country have brought about many positive changes in local people's life.
"The projects you mentioned were jointly established by us and the Chinese government and President Xi Jinping. These projects align with the interests of the people of the Central African Republic, and their implementation has brought tangible positive impacts to the life of the Central African people. As I mentioned earlier, in terms of food security, these important projects have enabled many families to feed themselves, provided them with income and improved their life. These projects have had a positive impact on the people's life in the republic, and we deeply appreciate this kind of cooperation," he said.
As more and more commodities of the Central African Republic have entered China, Touadera said that Chinese market is attractive to his country and he hopes that Chinese companies should also come to his country to explore the market.
"We are very interested in the (Chinese) market, as it not only has a huge population base but also a wide range of demands, and we happen to have attractive products. The Central African Republic is a major mineral-rich country, and is abundant in mineral resources, which will become a direction for the cooperation between the two countries. We should invite Chinese companies to our country to explore the potential of the market and develop new business opportunities," the president said.
Central African Republic President Touadera on BRI
Central African Republic President Touadera on BRI
China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes U.S. abuse of Section 301 to hike tariffs on some Chinese goods, the Ministry of Commerce said Saturday.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative on Friday announced final modifications concerning the statutory review of the tariff actions toward China under Section 301.
China has repeatedly lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side concerning the Section 301 tariffs, said a spokesperson for the ministry.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has already ruled that the Section 301 tariffs violate WTO rules. However, instead of rectifying its wrongdoings, the U.S. side further increases tariffs on Chinese products, adding one mistake to another, said the spokesperson.
The move is a typical practice of unilateralism and trade protectionism, said the spokesperson, adding that it seriously undermines the international trade order, as well as the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.
Moreover, the move not only fails to solve the United States' own problems concerning trade deficits and industrial competitiveness, but also pushes up prices of U.S. imports and forces U.S. companies and consumers to bear the additional costs.
The 2024 Report on WTO Compliance of the United States, which was released Thursday by the ministry, once again expressed serious concern over the U.S. abuse of Section 301, and pointed out that the United States is a "disrupter of global industrial and supply chains."
The U.S. side had previously sought public opinions on the results of the Section 301 tariff review. The majority of opinions either opposed the imposition of additional tariffs or requested broader tariff exemptions.
This shows the Section 301 tariffs are unpopular among the U.S. public, said the spokesperson.
The United States should rectify its wrongdoings immediately and remove all additional tariffs on Chinese goods, the spokesperson said, adding that China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the interests of Chinese enterprises.
China firmly opposes U.S. tariff hikes on Chinese goods: commerce ministry
