Sourcing in China for building Africa's infrastructure development

China has been the most successful developing country in this modern era of globalisation. Since initiating economic reform after 1978, its economy has expanded at a steady rate over 8 percent per capita, fuelling historically unprecedented poverty reduction (the poverty rate declined from over 60% to 7% in 2007). China trade is important to Africa, and it is unquestionably leading the way for emerging powers in the region. Not only because it is at the heart of the shift in global wealth but also because its behaviour and discourse in Africa have helped to change perceptions of the continent.

China and most other emerging powers do not see Africa as the "hopeless" continent described by The Economist magazine in 2000, but as a continent of opportunities and an investment destination. This attitude is even having an effect on the traditional powers who are reviving their interest with vivid accounts of the "African economic lion" now ready to take its place beside the Chinese dragon, according to statements by the World Bank (Okonjo-Iweala, 2010) and a report by the McKinsey Global Institute entitled Lions on the Move (Roxburgh et al., 2010). Even The Economist revised its view with a feature in 2010 on "Uncaging the Lions".

China has a perceived comparative advantage in infrastructure development; it has both the financial resources and the construction industry capacity, and Africa can use the information and technology to circumvent some infrastructure bottlenecks.

As China helps Africa end its key infrastructure bottlenecks, the need for metalworking machine tools is driving demand. In 2011, China exported US$8.9 billion machine tool products, an increase of 26.4 percent year-on-year. The export of China's machine tool products goes up encouragingly, creating a new high record since 2008.

In 2012 and 2013, it is predicted that the sales revenue of China's machine tool industry will continue to increase. This year, the industrial upgrade and technology alteration of downstream industries has great demand for machine tool mould products, and the demand obviously develops towards the high end.

Useful Trade Links for China
China Metalworking Machinery Manufacturers ??(www.chinasuppliers.globalsources.com/china)
Metalworking and CNC Machine Tool Show ??(http://www.metalworkingchina.com/index-en.asp)
Hong Kong Trade Development Council ??(www.hktdc.com)
Ringier Trade Media ??(www.industrysourcing.com)
China Ministry of Commerce ??(english.mofcom.gov.cn)