African, Chinese mayors meet for stronger ties among cities

JOHANNESBURG -- African city Mayors said on Wednesday they would follow China in making urban centers the drivers of economic growth and investment in Africa.

The mayors made the remarks while meeting with their Chinese counterparts in Johannesburg at the 3rd China-Africa Mayors Dialogue.

At the meeting, the mayors discussed deepening economic ties between African cities and their Chinese counterparts in order to improve investment ties.

"We have seen where to specialize," said Thabo Manyoni, Executive Mayor of South African municipality of Mangaung (Bloemfontein) while noting the contribution of Chinese cities to the industrialization in Africa.

"It is important that we remain united as we launch another struggle to fight poverty in Africa," said Manyoni, who is also President of the South African Local Government Association.

"It is always a pleasure for the African Mayors to meet with their Chinese counterparts," said Jacqueline Moustache Belle, the Mayor of Victoria City in Seychelles, who said the partnership between Chinese and African cities is bearing fruit.

"Africa is the future of the world and China is the region leading the world in building a people-centered society and economic growth," said Belle, adding the China-Africa partnership is the future of the world.

"The benefits from this friendship is very high for us," Boubacar Bah, Mayor of Bamako, Mali told Xinhua.

"The Chinese have maintained a stable economic growth for 40 years. We are here to understand their lessons. These lessons offer us valuable support in building our cities," he said.

The Chinese officials representing some of China's largest industrial provinces shared with the African city mayors the various sources of their cities' economic strengths and investment potentials.

Lin Yi, the Vice President of the Chinese Peoples' Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) said the Johannesburg meeting with African Mayors was convened to focus on the China-Africa relations on all areas of economic cooperation.

China has embarked on the process of pairing with some 126 African cities, which will create a framework for African Mayors to exchange regularly with Chinese investors, Lin said.

The Johannesburg Mayoral meeting came shortly after a major meeting convened in China by the CPAFFC, attended by 600 local government officials from 26 African countries and 24 Chinese cities.

"We are willing to further promote this relationship so that more people from Africa can continue to benefit from this dialogue," Lin said.

Tian Shujun, Vice Chairman of the Dalian Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, whose city is located an hour's flight from Beijing, shared with the African Mayors how to use resources such as shipping hubs and transport logistics centers to ease businesses for companies.

Chinese officials from Zaozhuang Municipal Government, Jingdezhen Municipal and Liuzhou Municipal government also showcased investment opportunities in aviation, transport, tourism and culture in Africa.

Others are biotechnology, chemical industries and automobile assemblies which are areas that African cities could tap from existing Chinese investors.