China should have the same opportunity to take part in the development of Africa as any other country.

So said Khalid Malik, the United Nations resident coordinator in China, in a recent interview.

The UN encourages Chinese companies, especially private ones, to invest in Africa, which is still a new place for many Chinese companies. China now needs more and more resources to sustain its rapid growth; the nation's economic success can be turned into an opportunity for both itself and Africa, said Malik, also resident representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in China.

Malik said Western companies have already established a network of links and market privileges in Africa. But Chinese companies there still lag behind their Western counterparts in terms of size and competitiveness, said the official.

A better Sino-African relationship would give China more chances to help reduce poverty and promote investment in the continent, he added.

Malik said cooperation between China and Africa is based on friendship and is sustainable in the long-term, adding that there are many similarities between Chinese and African cultures. For example, he said, "both sides emphasize that friendship is more important than business." The general strengthening of China-Africa relations is the result of political will and economic interests coming together.

According to official figures, trade volume between China and Africa grew from US$1 billion in 2000 to more than US$29.4 billion in 2004.

But Malik said the volume was still small, as it accounted for less than 3 percent of China's total trade volume in 2004.

Malik said China has set an example in using the private sector to reduce poverty.

Private companies in China launched a government-supported poverty alleviation program in 1994. Now the Guangcai Program, also known as the Glory Program, has become a major contributor to the UNDP's global poverty reduction efforts.

The UNDP and the Guangcai Program are now actively involved in setting up the China-Africa Business Council (CABC), a non-governmental organization.

The CABC plans to set up representative offices in six African countries Cameroon, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania and Kenya to promote exchanges between Chinese and African firms.

Through this partnership with the CABC, the UNDP will provide certain services for Chinese companies in Africa. These will include information on the investment environment, contact with decision-making authorities and the identification of strong and reliable partners.

(China Daily January 3, 2006)