The development of Africa is vital to the world's sustainable development. However, African countries still face key challenges in achieving the meaningful expansion of their economies. At the High-Level Symposium on China-Africa Investment Cooperation in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, held from September 8 to 10, Chen Deming, Minister of Commerce of China, elaborates on these challenges and sees the potential of Sino-African cooperation as the solution. Edited viewpoints from his speech at the symposium follow:  

In recent years, the rapid development of China-Africa investment cooperation has attracted globla attention. In the first half of this year, China's non-financial direct investment in Africa reached $800 million, up 46.7 percent year on year.

Besides the economic cooperation, China has also helped the development of Africa in other ways, like providing unconditional assistance and concessional loans and training programs. But to boost long-term economic development, African countries have to address several key issues, on which China can offer help and experience.  

First, African countries have to solve the issue of food security. Despite the vast land, hunger is still a big problem in Africa. In this regard, China has established agricultural demonstration zones in suitable areas to serve as a model for Africa's modern agriculture. African countries will have access to the application of modern seed, machinery and technology in the zones.

China will also choose suitable varieties of seed for the growing conditions of a specific country and help them to process agricultural products before export to increase their added value. For the cotton-producing countries in Africa, China is willing to set up a demonstration zone to show the entire industry chain of cotton processing, spinning, weaving and clothing.  

Meanwhile, China attaches importance to international cooperation in solving the food problem. Consistent to African countries' stance, China and other developing countries insist that developed countries should reduce subsidies on agriculture, as the subsidies are obstacles to the agricultural development in Africa. Besides agricultural demonstration zones, effective development of Africa's agricultural sector will require people taking the initiative in agricultural production and increasing investment in the irrigation system, which requires the combined effort of all African countries. More countries and international organizations should be involved in the construction of irrigating facilities. China will play a positive role in this process.

Second, more job opportunities and tax revenue should be generated through the development of local natural resources. China requires its companies to develop local resources to create more job opportunities and bring tax revenue. There are many examples of such companies, like China Nonferrous Mental Group. While developing the local resources, these Chinese companies have provided employment, training and health care to local people.

Third, Africa needs labor-intensive industry to solve the problem of employment. But an unstable power supply and poor transportation infrastructure make these countries unfavorable destinations for investment. So China hopes it can help African countries, particularly those around the Sahara, improve their infrastructure.

Considering African countries' reality and China's experience, China suggests breaking the boundaries between countries and forming an integrated entity where a power grid and transportation network of road, rail and sea are connected. A customs and economic union among several countries can also be established, in which there will be a bigger market and better infrastructure facilities. These efforts require the support of African countries. If it is needed, China is willing to help them plan the construction for free.

Another bottleneck restricting the economic development of Africa is that it lacks human resources with practical skills. China is willing to cooperate with Africa in the field of education, especially in vocational education to improve local people's skills and quality.  

China can also share its experience of establishing special economic zones with African countries to boost their economy. China had a similar situation to Africa of unfavorable investment climate, poor infrastructure conditions and lack of human resources at the early stage of development when it implemented the reform and opening up policy in the late 1970s. Under such circumstances, it set up four special economic zones, including Xiamen where the symposium is held. History has shown that the zones are incubators to China's economy as their preferential policies and better investment climate attract excellent human resources and more investment.

So far, there have been five special economic zones and up to 128 national technology development zones in China. All of them play a leading role of guiding new trends of industrialization, development of new industries and technological innovations.   

We hope African countries come to China to see how these zones operate, how they train personnel and how to conduct international cooperation, so that they can learn from this to promote their own development.

In summary, China hopes to take the following measures to support Africa's development:

First, it encourages Chinese enterprises to expand investment in finance, commerce, environmental protection and other areas in Africa.

Second, it will help African countries plan regional power, transportation and communication projects, improve infrastructure and support regional integration.

Third, it will strengthen current economic and trade cooperation and encourage Chinese enterprises to transfer technology to African employees, increasing their chances of being employed.

Fourth, it will foster financing for major construction projects in Africa. With the help of the China-Africa Development Fund and other financing platforms, China also seeks to promote the economic diversity on the continent.

Fifth, China will continue to fulfill commitments reached on the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2009 and that of 2010 UN Millennium Development Goals. Based on these efforts, China pledges to deepen Sino-African development and sincerely help African countries improve capacity for independent development.