China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation

VI. Broadening the Scope of China-Africa Cooperation

In recent years, new areas in China-Africa cooperation, especially banking, tourism, civil aviation and environmental protection, have shown good momentum for development. Moreover, within a multi-lateral framework China and African nations have strengthened cooperation and mutual support in many areas of global concern, including actions to address climate change.

Cooperation in banking. The Chinese government supports the efforts by financial institutions of China and African countries to enhance their exchanges and cooperation, and provide comprehensive financial services for enterprises of both sides. China Development Bank, Export-Import Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China and China Construction Bank are now offering services across the African continent, such as international settlement, trade and financing, and especially financing services in the fields of manufacturing, energy, telecommunications, electric power, water supply, transportation, agriculture and logistics. Chinese financial institutions have set up branches or representative offices in Zambia, South Africa and Egypt. China has joined the African Development Bank and the West African Development Bank in support of the poverty reduction and development of Africa by donating money, canceling debts and establishing funds to shore up bilateral technical cooperation projects. Meanwhile, financial institutions of African countries have also expanded their business in China. By the end of 2009 six banks of five African countries, namely Egypt, Morocco, Cameroon, South Africa and Nigeria, had set up branches or representative offices in China.

Cooperation in tourism. Tourism is one of the most important emerging industries of African countries, and a new source of growth of the China-Africa trade in services. The Chinese government actively carries out China-Africa cooperation in tourism. Since Egypt became the first country in Africa to be granted the Approved Destination Status (ADS) for tourists from China's mainland in 2002, altogether 28 African countries and regions had acquired such status by the end of 2009. In 2009 some 381,000 people from China's mainland visited Africa as the first stop of their travel, up by 18.5% over the previous year, while the number of Africans traveling to China during 2009 increased by 6% over 2008, reaching 401,000. In addition, Chinese enterprises have set up travel agencies and restaurants, and engaged in hotel building and management in Africa.

Cooperation in airline transportation. The Chinese government encourages airlines of both sides to establish and increase their cooperative ties, and open more direct air links between China and Africa for transport of passengers and freight. China had officially signed civil aviation transport agreements with some 15 African countries by the end of 2009, including Ethiopia, Angola, Zambia and South Africa, and initialed similar agreements with another six African countries, including Seychelles, Libya and Uganda. The airlines of Egypt, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Algeria have opened scheduled direct flights to Beijing and Guangzhou, while Chinese airlines have direct flights be-tween Beijing and Lagos of Nigeria, Luanda of Angola, and Khartoum of Sudan. In addition, China' s civil aviation administration provides help to Africa through various channels, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It pledged to donate US$100,000 per year from 2008 to 2011 to ICAO' s "Comprehensive Regional Implementation Plan for Aviation Safety in Africa."

Cooperation in environmental protection. Environmental protection and tackling climate change are issues affecting the whole world. Within the framework of the FOCAC, China and African countries together held the China-Africa Environmental Protection Cooperation Meeting, implemented the China-Africa human resource training pro-gram for environmental protection, and set up the UNEP China-Africa Environmental Center. The Chinese government has proposed to form a partnership between China and Africa in addressing climate change, and strengthen cooperation in fields like satellite weather monitoring, development and use of new energy, prevention and control of desertification and urban environmental protection. China and African countries hold in-depth exchanges of views on environmental issues such as international negotiations on climate change to safeguard the common interests of developing countries. China supports the rightful claims of African countries in addressing climate change, and takes into account the concerns of African countries about long-term emission-reduction targets. The Chinese government has also promised not to contend for financial assistance with African countries, but instead will offer them, on the basis of their needs, practical assistances in funds, technology and capacity building. At present, China has formed cooperation plans in the fields of biogas technology, hydro power, solar power and wind power with some African countries.