CAMAL opens office in Shenzhen to serve growing Africa demand

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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.

KNCCI Marsabit County gets investors from China courtesy of CAMAL

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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-end to end procurement solutions.

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  • CAMAL has continued to assist clients from various parts of world to source from China. The firm understands  every business is striving to cut on cost during its procurement cycle without going for low quality products. CAMAL is a solution finding firm for such businesses.
  • CAMAL has built relationships with the manufacturers in China and has the ability to find you the best suppliers in China. Recently, CAMAL conducted a factory visit in Shanghai to inspect the quality of the product before shipping them to the client. This was for a client who procured weighing equipment  in bulk for supermarkets.

CAMAL– Inspecting the cargo before shipping

  • CAMAL has rich experience in procurement. The firm has technical experts who understand Client expectation. The engineers in China will ensure the client get what our client ordered. CAMAL often co-operates with international third party inspection agencies such as SGS to ensure the factory is competent in production.
CAMAL- Confirming product before loading
  • CAMAL also offers advice on the best loading ports when procuring from China. CAMAL has done successful shipping from China, this puts CAMAL in a better position to advice the client the best port to use depending on the nature of the products being shipped.

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

What is the progress on China-Africa Cooperation?

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There is great need to monitor the progress of China-Africa cooperation. In the recent past, people across Africa have been having different opinions concerning the benefit, losses and worries of China investing in Africa. CAMAL being on the forefront of procurement from China and investment advisory, the firm has been analyzing these relations closely since they started. The success of these relations will be realized by making Africa better in terms of development.

CAMAL’s Managing Director Mr. Walter Ruigu has a deeper understanding of China economy.  Being a first class procurement firm, CAMAL believes that  from a macroeconomic perspective , China-Africa trade relations continue to boom in both directions. The future of the trade looks positive because the two parties are complimenting each other.

  • It is true to say that the RMB depreciation against the USD has affected business in one way or the other . China has benefited because the exporters are working with RMB but they are being paid by USD which higher.
  • China market being one of the largest consumer of the soybeans from USA, has been suffering because of the high tariffs that USA has imposed on the produce. China is now looking for other sources where they can be getting the soybeans as an alternative to the existing problem. Africa however has not yet tapped the full potential of these supplies as the areas which produce this commodity is under the terrorists Boko Haram in Nigeria.
  • Russia is giving land to Chinese for them to be able to cultivate and export more to china. The existing trade war is changing the global supply chain.
  • Africa should work on quality and standard products if the exports from the continent will be  accepted in the Chinese market.
  • There are strict laws in China concerning what they are importing. Actually, if china gets faulty products, they can end the supplies  from that country because of a single firm which has not meet the standards. China has had these restrictions to protect the local industries. The restrictions do not necessarily affect Africa, the restrictions cut across the globe.
  • China just like any other country has companies that are producing with an aim of making profit.In China, there has been a mindset of targeting high volumes and low profits. There is also large fragmentation of Chinese private owned companies wanting to do business with Africa. Most firms are looking for specific projects and business opportunities.
  • There is a lot of competition from other countries i.e. Turkey, India and Russia especially for the industrial Chemicals; the depreciation of the RMB has made the prices competitive.
  • The reason why the numbers have gone down in from the macro perspective is China’s economy has shifted from one that was focused on fixed asset investment to one that is now focused on domestic consumption. Long before this happened, the commodities were moving from Africa to China to feed the economy. A good example is Angola which used to export petroleum to China but this has decreased but this situation does not mean the relations are worsening, this is only getting better.

You can listen to the whole interview and get more insight about the matter. Courtesy of Eric Olander for Africa-China reporting Project interview and Managing director

What will China gain from the growing cooperation with Africa?

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The discussions in the recent past have been inclined on how Africa is set to fall in the “debt trap” which many people think is what China wants. Well this is not the case because it’s not 100% about Africa gaining from China. It goes without saying that, when two parties enter into an agreement of any sort, and then there are mutual benefits in that agreement. This happens to be exactly the same thing happening in the China-Africa cooperation. CAMAL has been attending the forums which are aimed at bringing a better continent with the Asian country.

Many people have continued to see the impact China is having in Africa in terms of development and poverty alleviation in Africa. Africa has been able to influence policy formulation in China thanks to the relations. If you want to fight any negative idea in a country you have to deal with the source of that problem first.  A good example of this is the when Africa became united and said it’s illegal to do ivory trading, China adhered to that and being one of the biggest market of ivory from Africa, then the elephants and rhinos are now safer than before.

China has been speculated to be colonizing Africa slowly by coming up with attractive monetary deals which will entice African leaders to allow China to invest in their countries. Mainly, China is pushing for the cooperation with Africa, for the following reasons,

  • Political connection with Africa. China knows that Africa represents over 50 votes in the United Nations and other international organizations.
  • China’s quest for new Markets. As the domestic market become saturated while more and more Chinese are going global, Africa represents a new market for the products produced.
  • As the Chinese economy continues to grow, there are certain products that Africa can provide depending on the demand from China. A good example is the Minerals from Africa. More Chinese are coming to buy Manganese and Marble from Africa and CAMAL has continued to connect the suppliers in Africa to the buyers in China. More and more suppliers are now trusting CAMAL to do the negotiations with china and bringing them buyers from China.

For those who are for the idea that China is out to colonize Africa, there is need to understand that the companies in China operate like any other Company in the world. The end product should bring profit to the company. This is the reasons why, companies in China are working closely with CAMAL to help them cut on cost by getting their raw material from Africa in order to ensure that the locals in Africa where the minerals are being mined benefit in one way or the other. If these relations were not for a good reason, then the number of countries in FOCAC would be less. From the previous engagements, only one country is not in the China-Africa cooperation.

China is set to adopt innovative technology which comes from Africa. A good example is the M-PESA innovation from Kenya. This technology has continued to wow other countries across the world, china being one of them. To support more of these innovations, China has established innovation centers in different parts of Africa where Chinese are offering different projects to the locals to see to it that they embrace the available technology from China.  This has mainly been happening in the Agricultural sector.

China has also benefited from Africa in terms of techniques of environment conservation. Due to industrialization in China, there has been an increase in the pollution levels making the cities in China a health threat. However china has visited some of the African countries such as South Africa which is one of the most industrialized countries in the continent and learns how they manage pollution in the country.

Generally we can say that both parties are gaining from the relations and if this continues in the future, China and Africa should have more benefits for each other. CAMAL continues to push for more exports from Africa to China; the firm believes that china should build more capacity in Africa to facilitate the standard they require because the resources are there. The procurement by China from Africa should not necessarily revolve on raw materials but also finished products. The best thing about the cooperation China is having with Africa is that it has brought competition among the super powers.  More European countries are now investing heavily in Africa to match what China is doing and this means more development for Africa.

You can watch the interview CAMAL’s Managing Director Mr Walter Ruigu had with CGTN about this topic

 

CAMAL makes an entry into Namibian Market

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CAMAL Visits Granite mines in Namibia- photo courtesy of CAMAL

CAMAL has continued to make strides in the international markets by connecting various suppliers to their markets. More firms across the continents continue to trust CAMAL for market sourcing and potential client identity. In the recent past, CAMAL has been moving across the continent trying to identify the resources in Africa and how countries can improve international trade for our clients.

Even with global offices in China, Kenya, Singapore and Zambia, CAMAL has seen the need of expanding its roots so as to meet the client’s needs in procurement, commodity trading and investment advisory. Mining industry has been receiving support from governments because it is a sector which if exploited well, will contribute to the well-being of the country. A good example is South Africa where mining is a key contributor to the economy.

Namibian Granite Mines -photo courtesy of CAMAL

CAMAL made its first entry in Namibian Mineral market in September 2018. The bonds CAMAL has established in China over a period of time, made it easier for CAMAL to locate and find white Granite market in china for Namibian miners. Granite exists in different colors. There is White, Black, Green, Red, Blue, Brown and Pink Granite.Granite is used in buildings, bridges, paving, monuments, and many other exterior projects. Indoors, polished granite slabs and tiles are used in counter-tops, tile floors, stair treads and many other design elements.

Granite Mine – photo courtesy of CAMAL

CAMAL organized a successful trip from china to Namibia where white Granite is in huge deposits. The client needed a supplier who CAMAL identified and helped the client to inspect and do the negotiation on their behalf. There is a Chinese proverb which says that, ”A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood” this proverb means that there is need to explore new opportunities and knowledge in a business. This is the reason why CAMAL has continued to build relationship with mining firms across Africa

CAMAL will continue to bring suppliers and market together for a better trading grounds. Central Governments should ensure that mining sectors are developed and implement technology advancement as far as mining is concerned. With improvement in technology, Africa will steadily increase the export of finial products made from granite which will positively impact the economy. CAMAL continues to help and share advice on what needs to be implemented for minerals to be of greater benefit to the African Continent. For all your procurement needs, CAMAL is the best there is in trade. We will help you to cut cost and increase profitability in the long run. 

 

 

CAMAL attended F0CAC2018 in Beijing.

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Forum on China-Africa Cooperation 2018 was held in Beijing where various Heads of State from Africa represented their countries in this forum. Chinese President Xi Jingping opened the forum on 3rd of September 2018. Most Africans were eager to know how their countries would benefit from these relations.  CAMAL attended the opening ceremony where Xi Jingping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Africa Heads of states during FOCAC2018 in Beijing China

Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $60 billion in financing for projects in Africa in the form of assistance, investment and loans, as China furthers efforts to link the continent’s economic prospects to its own. Some of what $60 billion will do can be broken down to:-

  • Xi said the figure includes $15 billion in grants, interest-free loans and concessional loans, $20 billion in credit lines, $10 billion for “development financing” and $5 billion to buy imports from Africa.
  • He added that he will encourage companies to invest at least $10 billion in Africa over the next three years.
  • Xi said China was planning initiatives in eight areas, including providing $147 million in emergency food aid, sending 500 agricultural experts to Africa, and providing scholarships, vocational training and trade promotion opportunities.
  • President Xi Jingping promoted Beijing’s initiative to build ports and other infrastructure as a tool for “common prosperity” in a world facing challenges from trade protectionism.
  • China will implement 50 agricultural assistance programmes, provide 1 billion of emergency humanitarian food assistance to African countries affected by natural disasters, send 500 senior agriculture experts to Africa, and train entrepreneurs in Agri-business.
  • China pledged it will implement 50 trade facilitation programmes for Africa, as well as undertake 50 projects for green development and ecological and environmental protection.
  • Tailor-made programmes to train 1,000 high-calibre Africans will also be put in place. 50,000 government scholarships and 50,000 training opportunities for seminars and workshops will be offered.
  • On the other hand, 50 medical and health aid programmes for Africa will be upgraded.
  • Xi said that we should build a China-Africa community with a shared future that promotes harmony between man and nature. The Earth is the only place which we mankind call home. China will work with Africa to pursue green, low-carbon, circular and sustainable development and protect our lush mountains and lucid waters and all living beings on our planet.

China has continued to push for cooperation with Africa to help the African states achieve economic independence in the long-run.This initiative has been achieved by financing projects in Africa. A good example is the infrastructure development where china has continued to bring modern technology in this sector. The presidents in attendance were positive that Africa was taking off towards a better future of economic growth.

CAMAL Group has been doing business in China for more than 8 years and has seen China’s economy grow overtime. FOCAC2018 has opened many opportunities where people from Africa will be  allowed to do business in China. CAMAL has helped some of it’s clients  get foreign investment from china hence creating a positive economic impact.

CAMAL will continue to bring serious investors to Africa and also help the African produce get market overseas. As Xi jingping finished his speech he  insisted by saying that there is need for China and Africa to work together in order to conserve the environment, CAMAL continues to push for environmental hygiene by organising trips where African countries can come to China and benchmark on environmental conservation and how china manufactures the waste treatment plants. With the growing African population, there is need to take care of the environment at all costs.

As the bond between China and Africa becomes stronger, there is need to evaluate  the economy and check the available opportunities in the market because Africa has untapped potential. There are many benefits which can be reaped by business firms, investors and organisations that are in their take-off stage matching towards economic independence. This phase will spearhead development in countries which will channel the loans for development purposes. We just hope that the loans will bring productivity because it is a debt which will be paid later even though president Xi Jingping said that China will write-off some loans for some countries depending on how the economy is doing.

 

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CHINA SOURCING

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China Container Port

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CHINA SOURCING

In order to ensure effectiveness in the global market, most countries have begun the implementation of high global sourcing strategies. China, being the largest economy in the world is one of the major destinations for people worldwide, despite the increasing cost of manufacturing in recent years. In order to achieve a successful China market sourcing, here are some tips.

1. Quality control management: in China market, there are varieties of goods with different qualities ranging from low to very high standards. So to ensure quality products and timely delivery from China suppliers, the buyer forms his own quality control system. Also, other things that can be done to ensure quality control are:

  • Inspection of factory audit with view of how quality control is being done in the factory.
  • Checking of the factory’s licenses (especially ISO), certifications, human resources policies and their production capacities.

When buyers form their own control system, a noted risk encountered by these buyers is the increasing friendliness between the quality control personnel and the suppliers. A choice attached to this is to involve a recognized inspection company to take on one’s support in the company

2.  Product specification: the stating of exact specification of China products willing to be bought by buyers should be ensured, so that;

  • No confusion concerning price and quality between buyers and sellers would occur.
  • Discouragement of “cutting of corners” by the China suppliers due to blurry specifications in the China market would be encouraged.
  • There would be increase in the efficiency of the import process.Sign of incompetence resulting from suppliers committing to sales without thought for product specification or questions about goods should be observed by buyers.

3. Payment methods/terms: when importing China products, it is necessary to note the payment conditions in order to ensure the safety of buyer’s funds. The steps taken by buyers in processing payment includes:

  • Negotiation for payment (most important)
  • Choice for payment option

Influencing the negotiations with the China suppliers, is the value of the order which depends on the level at which the supplier operates.

  • The purchase history which creates an avenue for re-negotiation and compliance with the client, making the purchase history an important factor.
  • The competition in the company one tends to order from.

For various reasons such as defraud, logistic (bureaucratic problems in claiming funds), China sellers do not always agree with the buyers preferred payment. The payment options include;

  • International wire transfer (most accepted)
  • Letter of credit (most secured)
  • Online escrow
  • Sourcing companies or agents
  • Pay pal

4. China sourcing is not always at low cost.

There is this mentality that China products are always cheap compared to other countries product, but this might not always be the case. In China, there are many factories that constitute to low cost of labor and raw materials. Due to the location, cost of manufacturing can be high because rent is high in some location thus, increasing the cost of price of product depicting that China sourcing is not always at low cost.

5.Avoid 100% upfront

Using a good OEM agreement is a way to avoiding 100% upfront. An example of such can be delay in the delivery of goods or services, change in future prices, etc. can occur leading to total loss

CAMAL’s MD Walter Ruigu appeared CGTN to discuss China-Africa Cooperation

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CAMAL’s Managing Director Mr Walter Ruigu (left) during an interview with CGTN

China has continued to make strides in investment and this time, they have their eyes set on Africa. It seems Africa has some potential which has caught the attention of this economic giant . China continues to invest in various sectors in Africa. With globalization and technology advancement, investment has been taken a notch higher with China eyeing  African market for its produce. There has been a rise in business trips from Africa to China as more states want to understand China’s technology in production and how they can adapt the same technology back in Africa.

CAMAL’s Managing Director Mr Walter Ruigu appeared on CGTN to shed some light on why China has decided to venture in Africa. It is true Africa has resources which has everyone thinking it’s the main reason why China has been on the forefront pushing to invest more in Africa. China just like other countries in the world is on a market search for its output. The domestic market in china is saturated. African countries are potential markets for China’s various commodities. For example, construction companies in Africa are highly dependent on China for the Procurement of machinery and other construction materials. We also have firms getting raw materials from China to facilitate production which will later contribute to the increase of GDP after the end product is traded.

CAMAL’s Management Team in China (from left) Managing Director Mr Walter Ruigu, Senior Project Manager Mr David Kyalo and Head Of Operations  Mr Razack Magagi

China has 3 main interests in Africa.

1.) The first one is to  support  the international community. China can and has continued to offer technological support to multilateral agencies to help them make countries better. A good example is the United Nations Environment Programme. China  has advanced technology on how countries should conserve the environment and recycle the waste products to create continuous utility. Being one of the most populated countries in the world, China has tried to come up with various ways of conserving the environment. The technology used has been passed to other countries across the world. CAMAL continues to contribute positively by arranging successful trips to China where clients get to visit and acquire necessary knowledge which they later transfer to their countries .

2.)  Quest for new markets is also another interest.  These markets are created by the ever growing demands which need to be fulfilled. At this point, firms like CAMAL have come in handy to help consumers and organisations understand China market more. Many African consumers are using CAMAL to procure from China. CAMAL can put it on record that those companies, individuals and organisation who have procured equipment, machinery or any construction materials from china, have been able to boost their productivity/output and increased profitability in the long-run.

Africa’s Heads of State during the FOCAC2018 in Beijing China

3.) it’s true that Africa has resources which China needs. This should be considered as strength and not a weakness. Countries like South Africa have greatly benefited because China has invested so much in their economy thanks to the resources they have. Many countries in Africa have untapped potential because they have not found the market internationally for what they produce  yet China can be a target market. Again CAMAL has come in to boost African countries Trade with China by helping organisations export the raw material China needs. Firms in Africa who are doing trade with China continue to benefit from these relations.

CAMAL’S MD Walter Ruigu(left) and Project Manager David Kyalo during FOCAC2018 in Beijing

CAMAL would recommend all African countries to focus  more on producing final products from the resources they have. This will add value and contribute towards financial independence. The final products will also get demand from other international markets not only China. it should challenge all African countries to strive towards economic growth which will bring financial independence to the continent.

You can watch the full interview as CAMAL’s Managing Director Mr Walter Ruigu brings more understanding on Why China is investing more in Africa and how African firms can benefit  by clicking here

 

China’s Mining Sector an Opportunity for Africa

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Overview of China’s mining sector

Although Africa is home to some of the largest mining deposits, China retains the title of the world’s largest mining sector. It is a leading producer of minerals such gold, lead, zinc, coal, tin, iron and silver and the world’s foremost producer of rare earths, accounting for over 90 percent of the global production. Ironically, China is also the world’s top consumer of the same minerals and often has to rely on imports to deal with the internal deficit. There is no doubt that the future success of the Chinese economy is dependent on the ability to secure long-term access to mineral and metal resources.

Consolidating the mining sector

According to China’s Ministry of Land and Resources, there are over 100,000 mining companies in China with more than half of these classified as small-sized enterprises. So many small companies have resulted in inefficient mining in many areas and high-risk operations as smaller mines tend to be the epicenters of mining accidents, particularly in the coal sector. To address these issues, the Chinese Government has been consolidating the mining sector. As consolidation takes place, the smaller companies face these options:

• Increasing output to government-directed levels – Companies with enough capital and reserve levels can simply increase output and comply. However, considering high output requirements and restrictive capital expenditure costs, this option is not always feasible;

• Partnering with bigger players or other companies to reach required output – This is the favored approach of most companies. However, competition between companies, difference in their cultures, divergence in cooperation terms, etc. mean this route is not always feasible;

• Exiting the market – If the above two options are not viable, smaller companies must exit the market either by shutting down or going overseas. This is an opportunity for African companies, especially those seeking partnerships.

Opportunity for African companies

In some provinces such as Hebei, smaller (and often private) companies are being pushed out of the iron and steel sector. Some of these companies’ technology and processes are inherently not problematic; the key issues driving consolidation are low output value and a drive to reduce high energy consumption and high polluting industries. African companies’ opportunities can be summarized as follows:

1. Opportunity for technology transfer – The opportunity for technology and expertise transfer is real. Given the vast scale of China’s mining sector, what is considered small scale here may actually be large scale in parts of Africa. Smaller players that cannot meet the output are forced out of the industry. But where shall they go?

2. Opportunity for capital investments – As the small companies are pushed out of the domestic sector, they will either put their capital into other domestic sectors or go abroad in search of viable projects.

3. Opportunity for exports – As the smaller companies exit and the global mining slowdown continues, China’s mineral deficit will continue to drive commodity imports, especially of high grade minerals.

4. The “going out” drive – It is not only the smaller players that are seeking to move out of China. With a steel sector that has been producing over capacity for years and facing decreasing government subsidies, even larger players have been moving out of China. Sinosteel, one of China’s largest iron and steel companies, has signed a cooperation deal with the Kenyan Government to jointly develop a steel plant in the East African nation.

African companies need strategic partners

It would be naïve to think that all the companies that have been pushed out of China’s domestic sector are viable partners. In fact, there are many that are indeed problematic in terms of excessive energy consumption, environmental damage, inadequate technology and poor safety records. This is why African companies must be strategic in selecting their Chinese mining partners. They should understand the implications of the offered technology/processes, particularly in terms of the environment. One needs to only visit the polluted areas in Inner Mongolia to understand that sometimes the best lessons coming out of China for African companies may be what not to do.
This article originally appeared in the Chinafrica Magazine, China’s Mining Sector an Opportunity for Africa