Sino-African trade enjoying golden age

In response to rapidly growing demand for Customs clearance, local Customs authorities have launched an export supervision model that includes classified supervision and concentrated inspection. The clearance and inspection time for the entire ship's cargo has been shortened from the original five to six days to two to three days, said Qingdao Customs.

Over the past decade since China and Africa jointly participated in the building of the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese companies — including centrally administered State-owned enterprises — have cooperated with African countries to build and renovate over 10,000 kilometers of railways and nearly 100,000 km of highways in Africa, as well as nearly 1,000 bridges and nearly 100 ports, said the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council.

"These infrastructure construction projects have helped strengthen cooperation and exchanges between Chinese and African enterprises, and effectively unleashed the potential of Africa's economic growth," said Li Zhen, deputy director of the SASAC.

"These projects have also helped accelerate the process of modernization in Africa, and become important historical witnesses to the consolidation and development of the traditional friendship between China and Africa," Li said.

Next, the SASAC will support centrally administered State-owned enterprises to seize new opportunities brought about by digitization, networks and intelligent services on the continent. Chinese enterprises are encouraged to carry out new types of infrastructure cooperation such as international submarine cables, and next-generation mobile communication networks in Africa, and assist the continent in cultivating new drivers of economic and social development.

Environmental conservation and green drivers represent the foundation of high-quality development and a distinct symbol of sustainable infrastructure.

"We support centrally administered enterprises to actively participate in the building of clean energy infrastructure, and use more energy-saving and environmentally friendly technologies in design, construction, operation and maintenance to help Africa achieve green and sustainable economic growth," Li said.

State-owned China Communications Construction Co has been operating in the African market for more than five decades. Its business covers 52 African countries and it has set up 93 overseas institutions on the continent. The company has completed building over 1,500 infrastructure projects, more than 7,000 km of highways, and over 800 km of railways in Africa.

Next, the company will continue to make efforts to build a complete transportation network system, and help make the flow of people and logistics more efficient and convenient on the continent, it said.