Entrepreneurs from both China and African countries on Friday hailed Chinese President Xi Jinping's announcements of new training opportunities for African youth and market access expansion for African agricultural products.
Xi made the announcements in his keynote speech on Thursday at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Held from Wednesday to Friday, the summit brought together leaders from China and African countries under the theme "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future." To jointly advance modernization with Africa, Xi proposed 10 partnership action plans to be implemented in the next three years, covering areas of mutual learning among civilizations, trade prosperity, industrial chain cooperation, connectivity, development cooperation, health, agriculture and livelihoods, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, green development and common security.
The president said China would provide 60,000 training opportunities to Africa, mainly for women and youths to enhance people-to-people exchanges.
Members of the business community shared their views on the sidelines of the 8th Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs held on Friday in Beijing.
"Point number eight, if I remember correctly, was providing training slots for African youth. And this is of utmost important. These will be the ambassadors, the future ambassadors of increasing cooperation between China and African countries, promoting key sectors of utmost importance for Africa, such as renewable energies, because we have an energy crisis within Africa, as well as a global crisis at the moment. And agriculture to cater to put security and most important, providing soft loans. Billions of yuan have been provided to African countries," said Alaaeldin Esmat Abdelhamid Ezz, Secretary General of Union of African Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture and Professions.
In order to boost trade prosperity between China and Africa, Xi said that China will give all Least Developed Countries (LDCs) having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 countries in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines. Moreover, China will expand market access for African agricultural products, the president said.
++Zimbabwe is not included in LDCs. It formerly met qualifications but declined to be included. https://unctad.org/topic/least-developed-countries/list
Allan Majuru, CEO of ZimTrade, the national trade development and promotion organization of Zimbabwe, welcomed the agricultural trade announcement and expressed hope that Zimbabwe might be included in the zero-tariff initiative, as it formerly met the qualifications to be classified as an LDC.
"And I was very delighted when President Xi Jinping mentioned the issue of 100 percent access and zero tariffs to African products for those with diplomatic missions there. So for us, I think, if you look at it before FOCAC, our president Dr. E. D. (Emmerson Dambudzo) Mnangagwa had a state visit. And during the state visit, we signed a number of agreements, about 17 of them, and they're mostly focusing on the economic base. And one of them was a protocol on the export of avocados from Zimbabwe to China. For us to have access to this market at zero tariffs. I think it's quite big," Majuru said.
President Mnangagwa paid a state visit to China alongside the forum and signed a series of cooperation documents to further boost the economic and trade ties.
Xi's speech also inspired Chinese entrepreneurs, who have been increasingly involved in Africa in recent years.
"We feel very encouraged hearing President Xi's speech. He mentioned China aims to raise its bilateral relations with all African countries to a strategic partnership. He mentioned the Global Development Initiative. He said China would boost more health projects in Africa. We at BGI aim to make cutting edge gene technology available, accessible and affordable to Africa," said Xiong Tao, vice president for international development, BGI Group.
Entrepreneurs encouraged by Xi's speech at FOCAC opening ceremony
