On May 5, Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng talked about China-Ethiopia economic and trade cooperation during an interview. The main contents are as follows:

In 2013, President Xi Jinping put forward the cooperative concept of “Sincere, Honest, Close and Earnest” during his visit in Africa, injecting new contents of the times to the China-Africa new strategic partnership. This year, Premier Li Keqiang took Ethiopia as the first leg of his visit to Africa, which is coincidently the same arrangement as that during late Premier Zhou Enlai’s visit to Africa 50 years ago. It fully shows that China pays high attention to developing comprehensive partnership with Ethiopia.

I’m probably the only ministerial official in the State Council who has lived, studied and worked in Africa for many years. The unique experience gives me great affections toward Africa in my later career. Although the two countries with ancient civilizations are far away, their friendship is long standing due to similar historical experiences and the tradition of safeguarding national independence, and the friendliness between the two peoples has been natural. Over the 44 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Ethiopia have adhered to equality, sincerity and friendship, holding hands together in revitalizing their economy and realizing common prosperity and development.

In recent years, China-Ethiopia relationship has been growing rapidly, with bilateral economic and trade cooperation enjoying a strong momentum and achieving remarkable results. Ethiopia has become the bellwether of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. Over the past decade, bilateral trade witnessed an average annual growth of nearly 20% to reach US$ 2.19 billion in 2013. By the end of 2013, China’s direct investment in Ethiopia amounted to US$ 720 million, contract projects signed by Chinese enterprises were valued at US$ 22.4 billion, and the projects under construction had a combined worth of over US$ 15 billion. China has been the largest trade partner, main source of investment and projects contractor of Ethiopia for many consecutive years.

At present, a large number of Chinese enterprises including private enterprises have invested in manufacturing in Ethiopia, with the accumulated amount exceeding US$ 600 million, which takes up 80% of investment in Ethiopia and covers building materials, leather, pharmacy, automobile assembling and food processing. Not only advanced and practical manufacturing technologies have been transferred to Ethiopia to bolster the expansion of “made in Ethiopia”, but also created more than 5,000 jobs, with 80% of employees being local residents. Besides, Chinese enterprises have taken an active part in fulfilling their social responsibilities, digging wells and paving roads for local communities, sponsoring medical treatment and public health as well as culture and sports, and enjoying a harmonious coexistence with local people.

In terms of construction, Chinese enterprises have undertaken a batch of large-scale and influential infrastructure projects. The first wind power plant and first expressway in Ethiopia have been completed, and the first light rail and a transnational railway are under construction. All of the achievements show the painstaking efforts of Chinese and Ethiopian engineering personnel, and demonstrate the two countries’ friendship and cooperation. The African Union Conference Center is not only a landmark of Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, but also a new monument of China-Africa friendship. The success of these projects makes “constructed by China” famous, and enables China’s electricity and transportation equipment and technological standards to become renowned in Ethiopia.

Now bilateral relationship has entered the best period of development. China is comprehensively deepening reform and opening up, striving to achieve the two centennial goals. Ethiopia is carrying out plans of economic growth and transformation, making efforts to realize national revitalization. Further strengthening bilateral economic and trade cooperation accords with the fundamental and long-term interests of the two countries and their people. Under this background, Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Ethiopia will be conducive to improving cooperation, promoting solidarity and seeking common development. During the visit, several documents of economic and trade cooperation are expected to be signed, covering the fields of industrial parks construction, energy and mineral resources exploitation, intensive processing of agricultural products, infrastructure construction and loans for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Though different in development phases, China and Ethiopia have common ideas and strong wishes for cooperation. Following the cooperative concept of “Sincere, Honest, Close and Earnest”, China is willing to make concerted efforts with Ethiopia to display their complementary advantages and deepen bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

In manufacturing investment, China and Ethiopia are highly matching in industrial transfer and reception, and have wide cooperation space. Ethiopia has favorable conditions to develop labor intensive industries, including superior investment environment, high facilitation for business operation, abundant labor resources, and substantial market potential. The two countries can take the existing achievements like the Eastern Industry Zone as the foundation, continue to create a favorable policy environment for Chinese enterprises to invest in Ethiopia or transfer technology, cultivate more laborers with proficient work skills as well as professionals in operating management. In this sense, Ethiopia can be turned into the main destination in Africa to undertake the transfer of Chinese manufacturing.

In infrastructure construction, Ethiopia will start a series of large projects in electricity, transportation and telecommunications fields to support its industrialization. On the basis of former achievements, the two countries will do their best to implement the key projects including Addis Ababa light rail, Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway and Adama wind power phase II. Meanwhile, the two countries will encourage financial institutions, on the basis of mutual benefit and win-win as well as risk control, to study innovative financing modes to resolve the shortage of funds for construction of Ethiopia. Besides, China pays high attention to the cooperation on regional connectivity in Africa, and is willing to provide supports to project planning and feasibility studies concerning Ethiopia, and positively participate in the construction, financing and operation of the projects.

Looking forward to the future, we have the reasons to believe that China and Ethiopia will take this visit as an opportunity to make more progress hand in hand, and drive China-Ethiopia economic and trade cooperation to a higher level and a wider domain.

(All information published on this website is authentic in Chinese. English is provided for reference only.)