By Xiao Tianyi, Guangming Daily

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Provide Africans with Improved Livelihood

By Xiao Tianyi, Guangming Daily

Recently, meeting with Rwanda's president Kagame, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said that China is ready to dock its Belt and Road Initiative with the UN Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, with the AU’s Agenda 2063, and with development strategies of African countries. On this basis, combine African development with China's development, combine with the revitalization of Asian and European continents, and combine with the era trend of regional integration and economic globalization. The Belt and Road Initiative upholds the concept principle of "extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits", and promotes world peace, harmony, inclusiveness and sustainable development, in which peoples of the world share peace and prosperity. The Belt and Road Initiative attracts a large number of Chinese enterprises to Africa, gets rooted in African people's daily life, and boosts Africa's modernization for a better life together with the African people.

Meanwhile, representatives of think tanks from 11 countries, including Angola, Kenya and South Africa, etc. came to China, in a hope to discover the mysteries of China's rapid development and look forward to learn the right recipe to help Africa's development from Chinese wisdom. In the past, because of colonial rule, Africa is a byword for poverty and backwardness, its agricultural production level is low, processing and manufacturing industry is weak, and the process of urbanization and industrialization is slow. Nowadays, thanks to the cooperation with China, neat and spacious housing, high-speed and safe traffic, and decent and stable jobs embrace the African people's daily life, the Chinese manufacturing and Chinese standards have brought to Africa not only bright high-rises, and also stable livelihood, which has become a new name card for the Belt and Road Initiative in Africa.

Africa is an important part of the Maritime Silk Road. Zheng He, a famous navigator in Ming Dynasty, made seven voyages to the Western coast with a fleet. Four of the voyages brought them onto the East coast of Africa today, sowed seeds for the traditional friendship between China and Africa, and laid the foundation for Sino- African friendly cooperation. Since China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, Egypt, South Africa, Kenya and other African countries expect to dock with China’s Belt and Road construction, actively participate in dialogue and exchanges such as the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing and others, jointly committed to the policy, infrastructure, trade, capital and people-to-people connectivity.

Building a new city to relieve the ancient capital

Cairo, the capital city of Egypt, is plagued with city's mess, crowds, hustle and noise. In early 19th Century, the French literati Flaubert had the "rough noise like wild roar" to describe the environmental atmosphere in Cairo. Since 1960s, the population of Cairo has increased from 3.50 million to 23.0 million, and 1/4 of the national population, among whom about 11 million live in illegal buildings.

To this end, the Egyptian Government plans to build a new administrative capital with 5 million people, 45 kilometers East of Cairo, to alleviate the high housing prices, pollution and population pressure of Cairo now. Guided by the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese construction companies signed construction plans with the Egyptian Government with a total budget of US$45 billion. Among them, the new capital CBD project is the largest single project undertaken by Chinese enterprises in the Egyptian market, including one 345-meter high-rise, 12 high-rise business office buildings, 5 high-rise apartment buildings and 2 high-rise hotels.

The light rail project, contracted by China Construction Corp. Ltd, from Cairo to the new Capital, is also under preparation for construction, which directly solves the communication problem between the two places. The new Capital project will also connect the Suez Canal economic belt and the Red Sea economic belt, creating a favorable investment and trade environment, and promoting the improvement of the Egyptian people's life and the national revival plan. The new Capital is expected to welcome the first batch of residents in 2018, the Belt and Road Initiative helps this ancient Capital of the nearly 1400 years of civilization to gain new vitality, and also provides people of Cairo with a new hope for the future.

Once studied in China, an Egyptian girl Amina told reporters that she is grateful for the contributions made by the Chinese Government and enterprises to the people of Egypt, sincerely look forward to the new Capital projects contracted by the Chinese enterprises, this is not only because she had experienced the "Chinese speed" and "Chinese manufacturing" charm, but also because it can enhance the friendship and mutual understanding between the two peoples.

Affordable housing building and taking stable public transit system

The backward infrastructure, the unitary economy and the high unemployment rate are the status quo of many African countries. In Zambia, due to the shortage of domestic related materials and technology, most of the building materials rely on imports. To ship the materials needed to decorate a house costs about 3000 U.S. dollars. The CNBM as the main body invests in Zambia Industrial Park, which will be put into operation in May this year. Cement bricks and other building materials are of great significance for Zambia, with backward infrastructure. After completion of the industrial park, 2000 or 3000 employment opportunities will be created directly or indirectly, and the living conditions of the local residents will be fundamentally improved. Currently, more than 600 Chinese Investment Corp. are operating in Zambia, involving manufacturing, telecommunications, mining, agriculture, trade and construction, etc. In 2016, China's direct investment in Zambia reached US$295 million, the largest amount in Africa.

In 2015, a vicious train accident occurred in South Africa. Two commuter trains collided, due to traffic lights problems, causing injuries of more than 200 people. South African railway was constructed long time ago, the facilities are backward, the accidents are frequent, its transformation and upgrading is imminent. In view of the South African Government, China is one of the fastest railway growing countries in the world, and it is the best way to learn from the Chinese railway enterprises with rich experience and high quality. Pushed by the Belt and Road Initiative, South African state-owned transportation company and Chinese Zhongche Corp. signed purchase order of about 600 locomotives, accelerate upgrading of the railway system in South Africa. At present, the South African government has also planned three railway lines, planning to connect Johannesburg, the South African economic center, with Cape Town, a tourist attractive resort and other important cities, and opening up the land transportation network between India Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, with a preliminary investment of up to US$13 billion. At present, the South African Government and Chinese enterprises are discussing specific cooperation projects, which is another important opportunity to promote China's high-speed rails to "go global" and Sino-African economic cooperation.

TV programs available to thousands of villages with low cost

Television, mobile phone and network have become the indispensables of the modern society. In the past, in the south of sub-Saharan Africa, the digital TV operation market is mainly monopolized by the French media, average household satellite signal access fees are as high as over US$200 in addition to monthly fee of scores of US dollars, which leads to many ordinary families unaffordable to high cost of digital TV programs even though they have TV set. With a Chinese enterprise of Sida Shidai Technology Co. Ltd. entering Africa, the cost of watching TV programs by African people is largely reduced. Users can select from dozens of channels only paying 10 dollars per month. This enriches the daily life of the African people, enables them to enjoy the convenience and benefits brought by the modernization process at close range, and opens up the "information super highway" connecting the world with the African continent.

At present, the Sida Co. Ltd. has established two sets of digital television networks in Africa, covering more than 95% of the population of Southern Africa, with more than 10 million registered household users. The Company also actively responds to the call of the Chinese Government, promotes the Belt and Road cultural cooperation, and launches “Wancuntong project”, i.e. providing more than 10000 villages with access to the digital TV signal in about 30 African countries, and donating the TV set top-boxes to 200,000 African families. The Company also has China's movie and TV dramas translated into African local languages, so that African people can listen to Chinese stories, feel the charm of China and learn from the Chinese experience, which are appreciated by a large number of African audiences.

Aiding education and conceptualizing hope

Education is one of the biggest fetters that hinder development of Africa. Because of the uneven distribution of income, some elite can enjoy education while the majority of people do not have the chance to receive education. The lack of educational resources leads to the bottleneck of talent cultivation, and the development of industry, agriculture and other fields is stagnated. Since the Belt and Road Initiative proposed, especially the China-Africa Cooperation Forum held, with the heart-felt help and support by China, the African education has made rapid progress, China-Africa cooperation projects not only create jobs for Africa, but also bring with it technology transfer and knowledge sharing, and possibility to improve African people life.

In order to achieve peace, independence and sustainable development in Africa, in 2012, Chinese Government and UNESCO signed a US$8 million trust fund framework agreement for a period of four years, aimed to support African development of quality education, training high-quality teachers, and improve the basic education. After achieving positive results in the first phase of the project, the Chinese Government provided additional sum of $US4 million in 2017, and extended the project for two more years, and the beneficiary countries also increase to 10.

The 8 countries of the agreement first phase are Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Congo, Ethiopia, Liberia, Namibia, Tanzania, and Uganda, Togo and Zambia as the new project countries have joined the second phase of the project. Summing up the results of the first phase of the project, UNESCO Education Department Assistant Director General Tang Qian said that the project has great role in promoting sustainable development in Africa, especially in the aspect of providing inclusive and equitable quality education, the people with lifelong learning opportunities and education innovation. At the same time, more and more Chinese enterprises, in response to the Belt and Road call, take a lead in fulfilling their social responsibility, for example, Longyuan Power Company has launched the local student grants project in South Africa, and has funded 70 students near the industrial area to study in University.

In addition to basic education, the Chinese Government and enterprises also vigorously promote the vocational skills education and training. To promote study in universities of different countries and training of talents is an important part of the Belt and Road educational activities. The Chinese Luqiao Company in the course of construction has expanded the Kenyan Railway Training School, helped open Railway Engineering Department in Kenya Universities, and established technical personnel training base at construction site, the accumulative training of local staff is about 50 thousand visits. The company also has joined Beijing Jiaotong University to start the Kenya international student program, and provided Kenya students with study grants in China, including full scholarship for accommodation and tuition.

In the year 2016, two groups of 60 Kenyan students came to Beijing Jiaotong University to take four and a half years study courses. In March 2018, the project also recruited another 40 students. The teachers in charge of the project in Beijing Jiaotong University told reporters that, considering the actual situation of overseas students, the university had set up a special English course for them, and hired a professional teachers for them. Beijing Jiaotong University also organizes colorful activities such as Chinese speaking contest and visiting Chinese families, and provided them with opportunities to feel Chinese culture closely and like staying home in China. Shijiazhuang Railway University and Kenya and other African countries run schools in cooperation, most of the graduates have become messengers of friendship and technical backbone of the Belt and Road construction. Education in promoting people-to-people connectivity of countries along the Belt and Road, not only has the adhesive and accelerant functions, but also cultural exchanges attribute with noiseless lubrication, and is playing an increasingly important role.

According to incomplete statistics, by the end of 2017, the Belt and Road Initiative has radiated to 21 countries in Africa including Egypt, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa and others, signed agreements on 39 major cooperation projects involving 17 areas such as railways, highways, ports, and hydropower stations, etc. In Africa, the Chinese enterprises have built more than 100 industrial parks, thousands of kilometers of Railways and highways, several airports and power stations. The Belt and Road Initiative adheres to basic principles of adapting to development of Africa, without any political conditions, mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, always respects Africa, assists Africa, takes into account upholding justice while pursuing benefits with upholding justice coming first, leading pragmatic China-Africa cooperation in various fields, and realizing the common prosperity and development.

The key contents of the Belt and Road international cooperation

The Report to the 19th National Congress of the CPC focuses on the overall domestic and international situations, and clarifies the key tasks for the next period to promote the Belt and Road international cooperation.

We should give equal emphasis on introducing home and going global, and deepen the two-way investment cooperation. Introducing home and going global is an important content of the Belt and Road international cooperation. It is expected that in the 5 years to come, China will import US$2 trillion goods from the countries along the routes, and invest US$150 billion in those countries along the routes. In the new situation, insisting on equal emphasis on introducing home and going global is to further tap the potential of two-way investment, promote free flow of main elements, high-efficient allocation of resources and in-depth market integration, and inject new kinetic energy for developing open world economy. One is to continue to steadily expand outbound investment. Give full play to the decisive role of the market in the allocation of resources, and expand the investment to the countries along the routes with the enterprise as the main body and the market as the guidance. We should actively carry out productive capacity cooperation, guide China’s enterprises to invest and set up factories in countries along the routes, and work together with the countries that have conditions and willingness to build economic and trade cooperation zones, so as to help host countries upgrade the level of industrialization. We should give full play to the advantages of China’s equipment manufacturing industry and guide enterprises to participate in the construction of infrastructure along the routes. We should strengthen cooperation in development of energy resources and agriculture with countries along the routes, and extend the industrial chain. Two is to encourage countries along the routes to invest in China. Actively carry out the Belt and Road investment promotion work, give a good play to the role of platforms by national economic and technological development zones, border economic cooperation zones, cross-border economic cooperation zones, etc., attract enterprises in countries along the routes to invest in China, especially to invest in new and high-tech industries, advanced manufacturing and modern service industry, so as to support development of the domestic real economy. Three is to create a sound environment for investment and cooperation. Upgrade the government's public service, timely release the investment environment, industrial cooperation and Country Guide and other information. To promote signing or revising of bilateral treaties and agreements with countries along the routes such as agreements on bilateral investment, consular protection, judicial assistance and personnel facilitation, and create favorable conditions for business investment. Four is to promote a two-way trade balance. Run well the International Import Expo, build well a new platform for economic and trade exchange, and further open the market to the world. We should optimize the structure of export commodities, improve the competitiveness of the traditional advantageous products, and strengthen the new export-led industries such as equipment manufacturing. We should strengthen cross-border e-commerce cooperation, vigorously develop service trade, and cultivate new growth points for trade.

Promote the infrastructure interconnectivity and interoperability, and break through the development bottlenecks along the routes. The infrastructure interconnectivity and interoperability is the priority area for the Belt and Road construction. Currently, the Belt and Road construction has entered a new stage of refining, the urgent need is to further strengthen infrastructure interconnectivity and interoperability, and increase the development power of various countries. One is to improve the infrastructure network of interconnectivity and interoperability. With the six major international economic cooperation corridors as the focus, strive to promote land, sea, sky and cyber the four-in-one interconnectivity and interoperability, focusing on the key channels, key cities, key projects, linking highway and railway networks and sea port networks. We should improve the construction of cross-region logistics network. Two is to coordinate the policies, rules and standards interconnectivity and interoperability. We should strengthen the docking with infrastructure construction planning, quality and technology system of relevant countries and regions, and promote the policies, rules and standards the three-in-one interconnectivity and interoperability. Seize the new round of energy structure adjustment and energy technology change trend, build the global energy Internet, and achieve green and low carbon development. Three is the innovation of financing channels for infrastructure interconnectivity and interoperability. Give full play to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Silk Road Fund and other platforms, deepen cooperation between financial institutions and financial markets, improve the financial support system serving the Belt and Road construction, carry out risk control cooperation. Innovate investment and financing models, build a diversified financing system and multi-level capital market, and improve the financial service network.

Strengthen the open and cooperative innovation ability and enhance the new driving force for development. Under the new situation, strengthening the open and cooperative innovation ability, we should promote countries along the Belt and Road to share innovation resources, complementary innovations, and achieve innovation-led and -driven development. First, we should strengthen the open cooperation of technological innovation. We should seize the opportunities brought by the new round of industrial revolution and strengthen cooperation in frontiers such as digital economy, AI, nano-technology, quantum computers, and promote the construction of big data, cloud computing and smart city. We should promote the deep integration of technology and industry, technology and finance, cultivate new industries, new formats and new models, and promote the application of innovation resources transfer and industrialization of scientific and technological achievements. Two is to strengthen the exchange of theoretical innovation, exchange and mutual learning. Enhance the communication of the development ideas and strategies of various countries, build a good think tank alliance and cooperation network, and provide intellectual support for the development of new paths for all countries. Actively explore the establishment of the Belt and Road national cooperative governance mechanism innovation, and create the Belt and Road international open innovation network. Three is to strengthen the exchange and cooperation of innovative talent resources. Implement the more open talent policy, actively introduce high-end talents to China for work or entrepreneurship, and provide a green channel for high level students to return to start business. Along with the strengthening of national science and technology personnel exchanges, expand the scale of exchange students, and the Internet for the youth of the world to create business spaces, entrepreneurial workshops, achievements of the future generation of youth dream.

We will promote open cooperation and improve the global economic governance system. Strengthening the Belt and Road international cooperation is committed to building an open world economy, and promoting economic globalization towards the direction of a more open, inclusive, universally beneficial, balanced and win-win development. One is to improve the level of trade and investment facilitation. Implement the Belt and Road trade interconnectivity cooperation initiative, and jointly oppose protectionism. We should promote the opening of markets in related countries, support the multilateral trading system and accelerate the implementation of the WTO agreement on trade facilitation. We should promote the reduction of tariff barriers along the routes, reduce the cost of trade and investment, and promote the standardization and institutionalization of customs clearance, inspection and quarantine, e-commerce and cross-border transportation. Two is to improve the level of economic governance. Actively participate in and lead the global economic agenda, and support the expansion of the representation and voice of developing countries in international affairs. Actively build free trade areas and gradually form global high standard FTA networks. Build a multi-level humanitarian exchange platform to promote inclusive development. The Belt and Road construction is for China to build a broad and inclusive development cooperation platform for the world. In the new situation, we should make efforts to open up more channels of cooperation and promote the active participation of various governments, enterprises, social institutions and non-governmental organizations. Take advantage of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to jointly build multi-agent, all-round and cross-disciplines mutually beneficial cooperation platform.

(Excerpts of the article in Guangming Daily, January 22, 2018 )