China remains best model for Africa's development
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China currently remains the best development model to be followed by Africa in general and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) in particular, Mangenda Tshibangu who is the chief-editor of a Congolese daily newspaper " Le Potential" told Xinhua in an interview on the DR Congo day at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
Tshibangu was part of a delegation of 24 African journalists who were invited between April 26 and May 5 for the opening ceremony of the Shanghai World Expo in China.
The journalist used the occasion to first thank the Chinese government, especially the Information department of the Foreign Ministry as well as the Chinese ambassador to DR Congo for having given him the opportunity to attend the opening ceremony of the Shanghai World Expo and learn more about China through various contacts and visits.
He said he was impressed by not only the warm welcome that his delegation received but also the impeccable organization of the Shanghai expo.
The Expo was opened on April 30 with color and pomp and it was attended by over 20 presidents. All together 243 countries and international organizations coming from the four corners of the world are exhibiting their products in this Expo whose theme is " Better town, better life."
"A visit to the Chinese stand helped me to understand that the country is constructing the future but making reference to the past which has been very well preserved so that each Chinese could understand their history that dates back several years back," he declared.
He pointed out that contacts with the Chinese Foreign and Commerce ministries demonstrated to the African journalists the level of cooperation between China and the African continent.
He noted that in the year 2010 alone, the level of commerce between China and the African continent is evaluated to be 91 billion dollars, a more higher volume of trade compared to the volume of trade between the African countries and the West.
Even more, he added, the Chinese authorities have not only allowed tax free entry of over 4,000 African products to their market, but they have also allowed their companies to massively invest in Africa unlike the Western countries who have either shut or relocated their companies from Africa.
"Visits to companies such as Huawei in Shanghai who are specialists in manufacture of communication and solar energy equipments made us to conclude that Africa has so much to gain by reinforcing partnership with China," he added further.
It's in the same context that he placed the visit to Jiangsu Hengshun Group Co. Ltd, the Zhenjiang Museum and the Office for prospecting Stainless steel metals at Jiangsu. The latter is capable of not only prospecting the numerous minerals that Africa has, but also mining them at a much cheaper cost compared to their competitors from the West.
Tshibangu said he was convinced that the Chinese development has displaced the development pole from Europe towards Asia and that Africa in general and DR Congo in particular, do themselves good by reinforcing their cooperation with the People's Republic of China.
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