China sets example for African countries in development

Note: The following is a transcript of an interview with the Head of the Ideology Department of Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, the ruling part of Ethiopia, Mr. Arega Eshetu Desalegn.

CRI: Tell us about your impression of China’s development over the past 5 years, or maybe your impression to this country during your visit this time?

Mr. Desalegn: Before visiting China, I have some information that I gathered from different websites, books, and from different media. When I came to China and visited, different activities of Chinese government, Chinese people and what I have collected from different media, and what I have seen, is quite different.

I visited in this week Ningxia and Shanghai. Even if Ningxia is still on the way to develop, Ningxia is running faster and faster. The leaders in Ningxia, the people, professionals, all are running to achieve the better life of the Chinese people, especially the people of their autonomous region.  We look at the poverty alleviation; we look at the history of Ningxia. The most impressing thing I saw in Ningxia as well as in Suzhou has been, everything is attached with poverty alleviation. The other thing impressed me is Chinese government is not working only in the economic development, Chinese government is working also in the cultural development. Chinese government is working this generation, the new generation, not to ignore the history of ancient Chinese people.

File photo shows a worker at Bole Lemi Industrial Park in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, April 6, 2017.[Photo: Xinhua]

CRI: So besides the economic development and the cultural development, how would you assess China’s efforts in balancing the economic development and environmental protection over the past few years?

Mr. Desalegn: Chinese government, Chinese people as I have said, and the ruling party of China CPC, are working in environmental protection aggressively. This is what I have seen. Poverty alleviation as well as environmental protection is one of the evaluation criteria for the cadres, the leadership of the Chinese government. This is a great experience for me, and I would share (this) with my colleagues in Ethiopia. 

CRI: And also, in the technology sector, I know a lot of Chinese tech companies such as Huawei, Xiaomi, and also a smartphone maker Tecno, they are becoming some of the key players in Africa’s booming market. So in your eyes, what is the competitive edge of these Chinese companies?

Mr. Desalegn: China is producing and supplying based on the context of each country, based on the context of the economic level of each country, that’s why China’s products are getting a higher market in Africa as well as in other countries. China is not working for China only; China is working also for Africa. China’s strength is investment in such companies, not only exporting from China to other countries, but it’s better to produce in those countries. The people will be a friend of China; the government will be a friend of China. 

CRI: China has become a significant force in Africa’s development, but compared with western donors, China’s aid and investment often focus on specific projects. So what do you think are the pros and cons of such kind of project-based aid?

Mr. Desalegn: In my country Ethiopia, China is participating in manufacturing sector, infrastructure sector, and agriculture, in service sector and other different sectors. These all projects were not started at the same time. One starts formerly and the other follows. So China and Africa start this economic relation which grows and will be strong.      

CRI: So what more could be done to make the most use of this Chinese aid investment, and make  Africa’s development more sustainable?

Mr. Desalegn: China’s investment is not based only in the benefit of China. China’s investment is based on mutual benefit of African countries and China. That’s why many African countries open their doors for China rather than for westerns. China is not forcing sovereign countries to change their policies and their strategies, which is implementing based on their behavior, based on their context. This is one good investment behavior of China rather than western. The other thing is there are many opportunities for China in African countries. For example, in Ethiopia, there are many investors, but we need more. We are constructing many industrial parks; infrastructure is not only the power, the road, driveway, etc, also in Ethiopia. This is the best opportunity for China to invest, so it’s better to widen the branches of the projects in Africa. 

CRI: And just now, you mentioned China’s development in economics, in culture and in poverty relief. So are there any experiences that China could share with Ethiopia or other African countries in terms of economic development, or poverty relief over the past decades? And what are these specific conditions in your country that need to be taken into consideration?

Mr. Desalegn: Thank you for this question. There are many things that China and many African countries can share. Nowadays, China is the second largest economy in the world next to America. China is middle income country, but Africa is on the way of the development. Like China yesterday. So we have many experiences that can share (with) each other. Many African countries are looking to go on the way which China went. For its development, China used mainly the people, development is based on the people. Ethiopia’s development is also based on the people. That is China use the level of their people properly; we are also struggling to use the level of the people strongly. The other thing is, China’s developing, but China goes faster. China is transforming from industry to innovation. We are in the process of industrialization. So we can share the industry transformation experiences from China to Ethiopia. The other thing is, China somewhat transformed the life of the people, you are transforming the life the people. So there is basic experience in China for those countries which are developing and changing the life of the people in Africa.     

Note: The following is a transcript of an interview with the Head of the Ideology Department of Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, the ruling part of Ethiopia, Mr. Arega Eshetu Desalegn.

CRI: Tell us about your impression of China’s development over the past 5 years, or maybe your impression to this country during your visit this time?

Mr. Desalegn: Before visiting China, I have some information that I gathered from different websites, books, and from different media. When I came to China and visited, different activities of Chinese government, Chinese people and what I have collected from different media, and what I have seen, is quite different.

I visited in this week Ningxia and Shanghai. Even if Ningxia is still on the way to develop, Ningxia is running faster and faster. The leaders in Ningxia, the people, professionals, all are running to achieve the better life of the Chinese people, especially the people of their autonomous region.  We look at the poverty alleviation; we look at the history of Ningxia. The most impressing thing I saw in Ningxia as well as in Suzhou has been, everything is attached with poverty alleviation. The other thing impressed me is Chinese government is not working only in the economic development, Chinese government is working also in the cultural development. Chinese government is working this generation, the new generation, not to ignore the history of ancient Chinese people.

CRI: So besides the economic development and the cultural development, how would you assess China’s efforts in balancing the economic development and environmental protection over the past few years?

Mr. Desalegn: Chinese government, Chinese people as I have said, and the ruling party of China CPC, are working in environmental protection aggressively. This is what I have seen. Poverty alleviation as well as environmental protection is one of the evaluation criteria for the cadres, the leadership of the Chinese government. This is a great experience for me, and I would share (this) with my colleagues in Ethiopia. 

CRI: And also, in the technology sector, I know a lot of Chinese tech companies such as Huawei, Xiaomi, and also a smartphone maker Tecno, they are becoming some of the key players in Africa’s booming market. So in your eyes, what is the competitive edge of these Chinese companies?

Mr. Desalegn: China is producing and supplying based on the context of each country, based on the context of the economic level of each country, that’s why China’s products are getting a higher market in Africa as well as in other countries. China is not working for China only; China is working also for Africa. China’s strength is investment in such companies, not only exporting from China to other countries, but it’s better to produce in those countries. The people will be a friend of China; the government will be a friend of China. 

CRI: China has become a significant force in Africa’s development, but compared with western donors, China’s aid and investment often focus on specific projects. So what do you think are the pros and cons of such kind of project-based aid?

Mr. Desalegn: In my country Ethiopia, China is participating in manufacturing sector, infrastructure sector, and agriculture, in service sector and other different sectors. These all projects were not started at the same time. One starts formerly and the other follows. So China and Africa start this economic relation which grows and will be strong.      

CRI: So what more could be done to make the most use of this Chinese aid investment, and make  Africa’s development more sustainable?

Mr. Desalegn: China’s investment is not based only in the benefit of China. China’s investment is based on mutual benefit of African countries and China. That’s why many African countries open their doors for China rather than for westerns. China is not forcing sovereign countries to change their policies and their strategies, which is implementing based on their behavior, based on their context. This is one good investment behavior of China rather than western. The other thing is there are many opportunities for China in African countries. For example, in Ethiopia, there are many investors, but we need more. We are constructing many industrial parks; infrastructure is not only the power, the road, driveway, etc, also in Ethiopia. This is the best opportunity for China to invest, so it’s better to widen the branches of the projects in Africa. 

CRI: And just now, you mentioned China’s development in economics, in culture and in poverty relief. So are there any experiences that China could share with Ethiopia or other African countries in terms of economic development, or poverty relief over the past decades? And what are these specific conditions in your country that need to be taken into consideration?

Mr. Desalegn: Thank you for this question. There are many things that China and many African countries can share. Nowadays, China is the second largest economy in the world next to America. China is middle income country, but Africa is on the way of the development. Like China yesterday. So we have many experiences that can share (with) each other. Many African countries are looking to go on the way which China went. For its development, China used mainly the people, development is based on the people. Ethiopia’s development is also based on the people. That is China use the level of their people properly; we are also struggling to use the level of the people strongly. The other thing is, China’s developing, but China goes faster. China is transforming from industry to innovation. We are in the process of industrialization. So we can share the industry transformation experiences from China to Ethiopia. The other thing is, China somewhat transformed the life of the people, you are transforming the life the people. So there is basic experience in China for those countries which are developing and changing the life of the people in Africa.