8 Things Critics of China’s Belt & Road Initiative are Not Telling You

CAMAL’s Managing Director Mr Walter Ruigu wrote the article attached to give a better understanding on Belt & Road initiative.

”I attended the second meeting of the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) in Beijing a couple weeks ago. The event was a more subdued affair compared to the previous meeting and similar multilateral forums such as FOCAC. This was partly in response to the ever-growing list of negative narratives that have been lobbed at the initiative that range from references to ‘debt traps,’ new colonialism and other labels that often leave readers perplexed at what exactly is going on. I would like to point out essential components of the BRI that critics are missing. Belt & Road

Brighton Mapiku

CAMAL has proven to be an efficient partner for procurement in the cement sector. They have access to many suppliers and we look forward to continued co-operation

what does China’s foreign minister visit in Africa symbolize?

  • Debates have continued to erupt from different parts of the globe concerning the continuous improvement of China and the African countries.
  • Just the other day, Councilor and Foreign minister Mr. Wang Yi from China embarked on a 5 days visit in Africa. The minister visited four Countries namely Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Gambia and Senegal.
  • The main aim of this visit was to advance China and Africa’s strategic cooperation and development as well kick start the implementation of agreements reached at during the FOCAC 2018 summit.
  • The visit was also a reiteration of China’s commitment to the census of consensus of promoting and protecting international trade and green economy development.
  • China’s relations with Africa should not be politicized in anyway because China is not helping Africa with an aim of taking the resources from them. The projects initiated by China in Africa are for the better of the continent in as much as China is benefiting in the long-run.
  • The best thing China did to Africa was creating competition as we can see, other countries are venturing in Africa with an aim of competing with the rivals and Africa is benefiting a lot.
  • Wang Yi was in Ethiopia with an aim of exploring the best possible ways of employing Ethiopia’s natural resources so as to transform its agricultural dominated economy.
  • To listen more about this visit, feel free to check out the video attached as CAMAL’s Managing director sheds more light about the issue at hand.

Rishapkumar Patel

CAMAL helped us find manufacturing companies reducing our reliance on trading companies. Team CAMAL helped us identify and source our construction inputs directly from manufacturers

Barbaros Eryoldas

CAMAL assisted us find reliable partners in China. CAMAL even visited our mine site in Turkey to conduct due diligence and better understand our requirements

CAMAL opens office in Shenzhen to serve growing Africa demand

CAMAL Group loading cargo in Guangzhou, China for our client in Ivory Coast.

CAMAL opens an office in Shenzhen as we continue to improve our services for our Clients. The Office will give access to Guangdong province especially, Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhuhai and environs. Shenzhen is a transport hub in China as it has one of the best modern ports in the Country Shenzhen being one of the most fast growing cities in China, there are many opportunities which CAMAL has identified and delegated them to the new office. The port will see to it that;

  • CAMAL clients will see improved lead time due to the efficiency of port activities in Shenzhen.
  • The goods imported from China through CAMAL get to the clients in good shape because of the improved modern way of handling containers.
  • There is smooth loading of cargo to client’s destination.

Port of Shenzhen consists of facilities in the following areas: Da Chan Bay, Shekou, Chiwan, Mawan, Yantian, Dongjiaotou, Fuyong, Xiadong, Shayuchong and Neihe this means that the loading of any cargo procured from the mentioned places will get to the port in due time.

CAMAL has been doing business in China for a long time; the firm understands the distribution of manufacturers and suppliers in different parts of China. From Shenzhen office, CAMAL will be able to help clients procure from the following cities,

  • Guangdong Zhongshan: Machinery and electronics, Packaging, Lighting,
  • Dongguan: Electronic products
  • Guangzhou: Automobile
  • Shenzhen: Electronic products
  • Yunfu: Stone, Kitchenware

The advantage of using Shenzhen office for your procurement purpose include:

  • CAMAL has a technical team which has lived in China and they have deeper understanding of products in this part of China.
  • CAMAL will do the negotiation on your behalf so there will be no language barrier between you and the supplier.
  • CAMAL will help you inspect the cargo before it is shipped to ensure you have the right products.

The firm will also ensure that the clients who have interests in technology are best served by the institutions which have specialized in that field. CAMAL has seen the need to be part of the firms pushing for advancement in technology because this is the only way firms out there will focus on cost cutting at the same time being efficient in production. Shenzhen office is  also connected to a chain of construction machinery suppliers i.e. the yellow machines and also construction materials i.e. tiles, prefabs and many more.

Other than assisting the clients to procure from Shenzhen and other cities in China, Shenzhen office will assist it’s the client to carry out successful trips to the supplier. These trips are aimed at assisting the client to meet the service provider and understand how the business can cut cost by procuring from China.

Shenzhen Port. Picture Courtesy of Wikipedia

Shenzhen office will be headed by CAMAL’s head of Operations Mr. Razack Magagi. Feel free to reach out for  by writing to shenzhen@camaltd.com

If you are looking for a China sourcing agent or need assistance finding sourcing agents in China, please do contact us and we may be able to help you or point you in the right direction.

George Mureithi

CAMAL has constantly delivered credible partners with acceptable pricing and payment terms

Julien Pons

From the beginning the CAMAL team was very helpful in helping us understand the Chinese landscape for contractors. They helped us identify, analyze and evaluate Chinese EPCs and later they accompanied us for site visits in both Africa and in China that helped us select our final Chinese EPC partner

KNCCI Marsabit County gets investors from China courtesy of CAMAL

CAMAL recently organised a trip to China for KNCCI Marsabit Chamber where the delegates had special interests in getting investors and also meeting suppliers. The 5 days trip was aimed at value addition to the Chamber and the office in China delivered beyond expectation.

CAMAL facilitated- KNCCI Marsabit and Guangdong Chamber of Commerce, B2B meeting with Chinese investors. The firm witnessed Signing of an MOU, exploring business cooperation and investment areas in Marsabit County. The talks held were aimed at identifying potential business opportunities from Marsabit

KNCCI Marsabit signing MOU with Chinese investors courtesy of CAMAL

 

The Chamber also had some interest in meeting construction material suppliers in China. CAMAL took the delegates to a company where they showed special interest in procurement of construction materials such as tiles, prefabs materials etc.

 

KNCCI Marsabit meeting with Chinese construction, energy and building materials companies.CAMAL also took KNCCI Marsabit to visit Solar panel factory. The Chamber had requested CAMAL to facilitate this meeting as they had a project which involved solar energy and they wanted to know where they can get them from. The meeting was successful with the supplier promising to work with CAMAL to deliver high quality products to the Marsabit County as soon as the order is placed.

KNCCI Marsabit Visit to Solar Panel factory in China courtesy of CAMAL

CAMAL will continue to organise such trips for the client to understand better opportunities and how CAMAL can assist them to procure from China after or during the trip. CAMAL’s value addition include;

  1. Identification of reliable suppliers for our clients;
  2. Carrying out factory due diligence  on behalf of the Client;
  3. Engaging with the potential investors;
  4. Advising the Client on how to procure Products from China;
  5. Facilitating preliminary discussions by having an interpreter who understands Chinese and English well to get rid of language barrier.

CAMAL attends the China International Import expo (CIIE)

It is a significant move for the Chinese government to hold CIIE to give firm support to trade liberalization and economic globalization and actively open the Chinese market to the world. It facilitates countries and regions all over the world to strengthen economic cooperation and trade, and to promote global trade and world economic growth in order to make the world economy more open.

CAMAL attending China International Import Expo

 

Countries around the globe have been pushing for Balance of Trade. CAMAL has been attending forums which are aimed at trade improvement with China. CAMAL is currently attending the first CIIE in Shanghai China with a goal to solve Export problems to China. President Xi Jingping opened the event and gave a keynote speech with main points being:

  • China will  ease barriers for the following industries

Financial services, Agriculture, Mining and Education

  • China will Increase purchase of Imported goods by lowering the tariffs involved
  • China will create a better business environment with reasonable system of rules including punishing intellectual property violators. China would work to protect the interests of foreign companies.
  • China will import as much as $30 trillion in goods and $10 trillion in services within the next 15 years.
  • China intends to make Shanghai the world’s leading financial centers by the year 2020

The event has had thousands of companies attending from various countries. Kenya being one of the countries, there is a national exhibition going on with an aim of winning more market for the Kenyan products i.e. coffee.

Kenya showcasing products and services in Shanghai during CIIE

From this event, CAMAL intends to assist more people to export to China. The firm has deep understanding of demand cycles in China. CAMAL will therefore find the right market for products in China. CAMAL will also add value to the exporters to China by doing the negotiation on the clients behalf.

CAMAL’s Managing Director attending to a client in Shanghai during CIIE