陈德铭发文：中非经贸合作让双方人民共同受益

　　在中非合作论坛第四次部长级会议即将在埃及召开之际，中国商务部部长陈德铭11月4日在《TheEgyptianGazette》上发表了题为《中非经贸合作让双方人民共同受益》的署名文章。全文如下：

　　中国和非洲虽然相距遥远，但中非友好源远流长。中非人民在漫长的历史岁月中结下了深厚情谊。进入新世纪，特别是中非合作论坛北京峰会以来，中非双方致力于构建新型战略伙伴关系，携手推进胡锦涛主席提出的对非合作八项举措，经贸关系发展迅速，中非人民深受裨益。

　　中非贸易发展迅速。过去8年年均增幅超过30%，2008年首次突破1000亿美元，提前2年实现温家宝总理提出的“到2010年使中非贸易达到1000亿美元”目标。对非投资稳步扩大。2008年中国对非直接投资达54.9亿美元，投资存量78亿美元，在非投资企业1600多家，涉及生产加工、农业开发等多个领域。基础设施建设合作扎实推进。中国企业承担了阿尔及利亚东西高速公路、安哥拉洛比托港码头扩建、加纳布维水电站等重大项目建设，赢得了当地政府和人民的广泛赞誉。经过多年发展，中非经贸合作正在向着贸易、投资、援外、工程承包等多元互动格局转变，在双方经济发展中日益发挥着不可替代的作用。

　　中国始终关注非洲发展，真诚愿意为非洲人民建设家园、改善生活做出贡献。50多年来，为帮助非洲国家增强自主发展能力，中国在“南南合作”框架下，先后向53个非洲国家提供了各类援助，帮助援建了800多个成套项目，为非洲国家培养了3万名各类人才，免除了34个重债穷国和最不发达国家306笔债务，向43个非洲国家派出了1.7万人次的医疗队。中国人民也不会忘记，非洲人民在中国恢复联合国合法席位、举办北京奥运会等重大国际事务中给予的宝贵支持；在2008年遭受特大地震灾害时给予的无私援助。

　　中非合作论坛北京峰会3年来，中非双方从促发展、惠民生的立场出发，扎实推进落实八项举措，为深化双边经贸合作、促进非洲经济社会发展做出了重要贡献。援助项下，中方实施了赞比亚国家体育场、马里巴马科第二大桥、加蓬布巴哈水电站、毛里求斯新机场、内罗毕环城路等多个大型基础设施项目。中方援建的100所农村学校可解决5万名儿童就学，30所医院将增加4000多个床位的医疗能力，疟疾防治合作涉及30多个国家、惠及上亿人。中非发展基金参与投资的埃塞俄比亚玻璃厂填补了当地工业空白，马拉维棉花种植项目可带动当地近10万农户就业。赞比亚中国经贸合作区已吸纳10家企业入区，投资7亿多美元，为当地创造就业6000人。与此同时，中国企业在非洲这块广袤的土地上也收获了成长和喜悦。实践证明，中非经贸关系是互惠互利、合作共赢的，体现了人民的愿望、时代的要求，为世界树立了“南南合作”的典范。

　　2009年是中非经贸关系承前启后、继往开来的一年。中国政府将继续本着“真诚友好、平等相待、相互支持、共同发展”的原则，深化经贸合作，应对金融危机，实现共同发展。我有以下建议：

　　第一，营造良好合作环境。加强多双边协调，在反对保护主义、推动国际金融体系改革、应对全球气候变暖等重大问题上协调立场，相互配合，共同应对挑战。改善双边贸易投资环境，搭建公共服务平台，促进合作便利化。推动商签和落实投资保护协定，鼓励金融机构加强合作。办好非洲商品展览会，扩大双向货物贸易。

　　第二，提升经贸合作水平。建立进出口商品监管合作机制，维护双方消费者利益。在非洲国家推动建立境外物流中心，扩大优质商品出口。扩大免税商品范围，增加非洲商品进口。深化双向投资，中方将继续鼓励和支持有实力、信誉好的企业对非投资，同时欢迎非洲企业家到中国投资兴业。

　　第三，丰富双边合作方式。积极探索合作新途径和新方式，推动合作方式从以贸易为主，向贸易、投资、服务、技术、项目承包等多种方式并重的方向转变，积极推进旅游、金融、教育、环保等领域合作。建设好境外经贸合作区，推动更多中国企业入区投资，并为非洲中小企业入区发展提供便利。

　　第四，深化民生项目合作。继续推进人力资源培训、医疗卫生、教育、环境保护、技术转让、旅游等领域合作。提升农业基础设施、粮食生产、种植和养殖、农业实用技术交流转让、农产品加工等领域合作水平。实施好援非农业技术示范中心、医院、学校、疟疾防治中心项目。加大对非洲基础设施建设投资力度。

　　在全球化潮流中，中非都是充满希望的热土。我们深信，只要双方携手同心、共同努力，中非经贸合作前景将更加美好，并在更大范围、更深层次上造福双方人民。

　　China-Africa Cooperation Benefits People from Both Sides

　　Although geographically far apart, China and Africahavetime-honored friendship, which has been cemented over thelongcourse of history. Since the beginning of the newcentury,especially since the Beijing Summit of the Forum onChina-AfricaCooperation, the two sides have been committed tobuilding a newtype of strategic partnership, and jointlyimplementing the eightcooperation measures announced by PresidentHu Jintao. As a result,China-Africa trade and economic ties havegained a new momentum,bringing benefits to people from bothsides.

　　China-Africa trade has been developing rapidly. It registeredanaverage annual growth rate of over 30% in the past eight yearandexceeded USD 100 billion for the first time in 2008, realizingthetarget of “USD100 billion by 2010” proposed by Premier WenJiaobaotwo years ahead of schedule. Chinese investment in Africahasexpanded steadily. In 2008, Chinese direct investment inthecontinent amounted to USD 5.49 billion. The existing stockofinvestment had reached USD7.8 billion and more than 1600Chinesecompanies had invested in Africa by 2008, covering a widerange ofareas from product processing to agriculturaldevelopment.Substantial progress has been made in infrastructurecooperation.Chinese enterprises have undertaken the construction ofsome majorprojects in Africa, including the east-west expressway inAlgeria,the expansion of the Lobito Port in Angola and the Buihydro-powerstation in Ghana, which have been widely applauded bylocalgovernments and people. After years of efforts, China-Africatradeand economic cooperation has shifted towards a diversifiedandinteractive pattern encompassing trade, investment, aid andprojectcontracting, playing an irreplaceable role in theeconomicdevelopment of both sides.

　　China has closely followed the development of Africa andsincerelywishes to make its contribution to the African people indevelopingtheir nations and creating a better life. To helpAfrican countriesbuild their capacity for self-development, Chinahas providedvarious assistances to 53 countries under theframework ofSouth-South Cooperation over the past 50-strong years.It hasfinished over 800 complete-plant projects, provided trainingto300,000 people, cancelled 306 debts for 34 heavily indebted poorandleast developed countries, and sent 17,000 medical workers to43African countries. The Chinese people will never forgettheinvaluable support of the African friends in majorinternationalissues such as the resumption of China"s mrship in theUN and thehosting of the Beijing Olympic Games, and their selflessassistancein the wake of the devastating earthquake in 2008.

　　Over the three years since the Beijing Summit of the ForumonChina-Africa Cooperation, China and Africa have executed theeightmeasures to promote development and improve people"swell-being,and thus have contributed tremendously to deepeningbilateral tradeand economic cooperation and advancing social andeconomicdevelopment of Africa. Under the assistance initiative, theChineseside has constructed a number of large infrastructureprojectsincluding the national stadium of Zambia, the second BridgeofBamako, Mali, the hydro-power station of Pubara, Gabon, thenewairport of Mauritius and the ring road of Nairobi, Kenya. The100China-assisted rural schools will accommodate 50,000 children,andthe 30 hospitals with Chinese assistance will add 4,000 bedstolocal medical capacity. The malaria prevention cooperationhascovered over 30 countries and benefited hundreds of millionsofpeople. The Ethiopian glass factory invested by theChina-AfricaDevelopment Fund has filled the vacancy of localindustry, and thecotton planting project in Malawi will create100,000 jobs forlocal farmers. The Zambia-China Economic and TradeCooperation Areahas already attracted 10 enterprises with a totalinvestment ofmore than USD 700 million, and created 6,000 jobs.Meanwhile,Chinese companies have also grown stronger and reapedgreat profitson the vast African continent. Facts have proven thatChina-Africaeconomic and trade relationship features reciprocity,mutualbenefit, cooperation and win-win, reflects the aspirations ofthepeoples and the need of the time, and thus sets up a role modelofSouth-South Cooperation.

　　2009 is a year when China-Africa economic and traderelationshipwill continue to prosper on the strong momentum. TheChinesegovernment will, as always, follow the principle of“sincerity andfriendship, equal treatment, mutual support andcommondevelopment”, deepen trade and economic cooperation, fightthefinancial crisis and achieve the goal of common development.Iwould like to offer the following propositions:

　　The first proposition is to create a sound environmentforcooperation. Coordination shall be intensified at bothmultilateraland bilateral levels to ensure mutual support fortackling allchallenges, including fighting protectionism, promotingthe reformof international financial system and addressing globalwarming.Bilateral trade and investment environment shall beimproved and apublic service platform be built to facilitatecooperation. Thenegotiation, signing and implementation ofinvestment protectionagreements shall be encouraged and cooperationamong financialinstitutions be strengthened. African CommoditiesExhibitions shallbe organized well to enlarge the two-way flow ofgoods.

　　The second proposition is to elevate the level of tradeandeconomic cooperation. A cooperation mechanism for supervisionofimports and exports shall be established to safeguard theinterestsof consumers on both sides. Efforts shall be made to setupoverseas logistics centers in African countries and promotequalityexports to Africa. The scope of commodities eligible fordutyexemption shall be expanded to increase imports fromAfrica.Two-way investment shall be further substantiated withChinacontinuing to encourage and support competent andcreditworthycompanies to invest in Africa while welcoming Africanentrepreneursto invest and set up ventures in China.

　　The third proposition is to enrich the approaches ofbilateralcooperation. Rigorous work shall be carried out to explorenew waysand means of cooperation, facilitating the shift fromatrade-centric approach to one that takes trade as themainstaywhile placing equal emphasis on other approaches suchasinvestment, services, technology and project contracting,andadvancing cooperation in such sectors as tourism,finance,education and environmental protection. Efforts will bedirected toensure the success of overseas trade and economiccooperationzones, attracting greater investment inflow from Chinesecompaniesand providing convenience of access for small andmedium-sizedAfrican enterprises to these cooperation zones.

　　The forth proposition is to deepen cooperation on projectsrelatedto the well-being of the people. Continuous efforts willbecommitted to advancing cooperation in fields such as humanresourcetraining, healthcare, education, environmentalprotection,technology transfer and tourism. The level ofcooperation will beelevated in such fields as agriculturalinfrastructure, grainproduction, farming and animal husbandry,transfer and exchanges ofagricultural technology as well asprocessing of agriculturalproduce. Smooth implementation of aidprojects to Africa such asthe agro-technology demonstrationcenters, hospitals, schools andmalaria prevention and treatmentcenters shall be ensured. Effortsshall also be intensified in termsof infrastructure investment inAfrica.

　　Both Africa and China are lands brimming with hope in thecurrentof globalization. We firmly believe that as long as we joinhandsand work in concert, China-Africa trade and economiccooperationwill be bracing for an even bcenterer future, to theextent ofbenefiting people from both sides within a wider anddeeperdimension.