英闻天下——9 China Becomes Africa's Largest Trading Partner

 　　"We are a country that is in the development and we value the investment of China to our country."

 

　　Rwandan Finance Minister John Rwangombwa praises the flow of Chinese investment into his country.

 

　　Between 2005 and 2009, Rwanda-China trade increased five-fold.

 

　　Chinese companies signed contracts worth over twelve billion US dollars in Rwanda in 2010.

 

　　Rwanda is an example of the rapid growth of China-Africa trade, which is expected to rise to 220 billion dollars this year.

 

　　The CEO of Johannesburg-based marketing¹ firm Brand South Africa, Miller² Matola, outlines the reasons behind China's investments in Africa.

 

　　"It has admittedly huge natural resources, and obviously to fuel its growth China does need those resources but also Africa is a very resilient and growing economy if you consider what's going on in the eurozone and those believe that Africa has a role to play in assisting with the current economic challenges."

 

　　Africa has approximately 40 percent of the world's chromite, 60 percent of the world's cobalt and 20 percent of the world's gold.

 

　　The opportunities in Africa have brought over two thousand Chinese companies to do business on the continent.

 

　　Some criticize this investment as "neo-colonialism" by China.

 

　　US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton brought public attention to this during the summer..

 

　　"The days of having outsiders come and extract the wealth of Africa for themselves, leaving nothing or very little behind, should be over in the 21st century."

 

　　The Vice³ President of the China Institute of International Studies, Ruan Zongze, argues Chinese investments in Africa are far more diverse than just natural resources.

 

　　"The accusation⁴ for example says China just focuses on mining or resources issues, but apart from those, China is also very much focuses on agriculture and also focused on personnel training and to provide expertise⁵ for those people from Africa. And also China's enterprises, they learn to play a bigger part in exercising their social responsibility".

 

　　And the CEO of the Nigerian Investment Promotion⁶ Commission, Mustafa Bello, emphasises the importance of Chinese investment to Africa's business environment.

 

　　Diversification⁷ is fast build the infrastructure⁸ of these countries that have deficiencies in infrastructure. And then you can ride over it and bring in other investments, like steel industrial sector⁹, tourism, transportation and so on and so forth¹⁰. If you don't build the infrastructure, you will have difficulty doing good business.

 

　　Diversified¹¹ interest in areas such as telecommunications and transportation has helped improve trade and business ties throughout Africa.

 

　　Chinese telecoms firm Huawei operates in 25 countries across the continent and had revenues of three and a half billion US dollars from Africa alone in 2011.

 

　　Chinese firms are among the leaders providing infrastructure to Africa's 700 million mobile phone subscribers.

 

　　However, there are concerns over the stability and transparency of the business environment in Africa.

 

　　China Foreign Affairs University Professor, Mark Morrison, highlights corruption¹² as a threat to investors¹⁴.

 

　　"As far as dealing¹⁵ with the countries, corruption is a huge issue in Africa in many different countries and I don't think China should overlook that. I think China should address that and should recognise that that's an issue and try to work with these countries to overcome these kinds of issues."

 

　　In this year's Transparency International index on Global Corruption, 36 African countries scored 3 or less out of ten and are termed 'very corrupt¹³'.

 

　　Nigeria's Petroleum¹⁶ Revenue Special Task Force also found billions of dollars in royalties¹⁷ and oil revenues have disappeared over the past decade due to embezzlement¹⁸ and corruption.

 

　　Chinese businesses looking to establish a physical presence in Africa are also anxious about the security of their workers.

 

　　In November, two Chinese construction workers were shot dead by gunmen in northeastern Nigeria.

 

　　Mustafa Bello argues the issues of worker security are being solved.

 

　　"We have addressed this issue substantially. It used to be the case, yes, in the past but recently I am sure you would have found this has gone down substantially. All I would advise is the Chinese workers in Nigeria to avoid going to those areas that have the potential of this kind of problem. In every country you have this kind of areas that are no-go areas."

 

　　Despite security concerns, Bello sees the benefits provided by African governments, such as Nigeria, as a continued pull for investment from China.

 

　　"What we have done as a country is to put a whole range of incentives¹⁹ that will attract investment. Number 1 is population, that if the market, you are looking for market, you can find it in Nigeria. Number 2, we can give you a corporate²⁰ tax holiday of up to five years as an enterprise. So that that company from the beginning up to the first five years, will not pay corporate tax."

 

　　With the World Bank predicting economic growth for Africa of 6 percent for this year, the opportunities for Chinese companies into the continent should continue to grow as well.

1 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

2 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

3 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

4 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

5 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

6 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

7 diversification   

n.变化，多样化；多种经营

参考例句：

• The seminar was to discuss diversification of agriculture. 该研讨会讨论的是农业多种经营。 来自辞典例句
• Firm diversification is increasingly achieved by the means of takeover and merger. 通过接管和兼并，厂商经营范围日益多样化。 来自辞典例句

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

10 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

11 diversified   

adj.多样化的，多种经营的v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 )；进入新的商业领域

参考例句：

• The college biology department has diversified by adding new courses in biotechnology. 该学院生物系通过增加生物技术方面的新课程而变得多样化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Take grain as the key link, develop a diversified economy and ensure an all-round development. 以粮为纲，多种经营，全面发展。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

13 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

14 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

15 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

16 petroleum   

n.原油，石油

参考例句：

• The Government of Iran advanced the price of petroleum last week.上星期伊朗政府提高了石油价格。
• The purpose of oil refinery is to refine crude petroleum.炼油厂的主要工作是提炼原油。

17 royalties   

特许权使用费

参考例句：

• I lived on about £3,000 a year from the royalties on my book. 我靠着写书得来的每年约3，000英镑的版税生活。 来自辞典例句
• Payments shall generally be made in the form of royalties. 一般应采取提成方式支付。 来自经济法规部分

18 embezzlement   

n.盗用，贪污

参考例句：

• He was accused of graft and embezzlement and was chained and thrown into prison.他因被指控贪污盗窃而锒铛入狱。
• The judge sent him to prison for embezzlement of funds.法官因他盗用公款将其送入监牢。

19 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

20 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。