World-renowned expert on China’s relations with Africa Prof Yun Sun has explained why inferior products from China have flooded Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Sun, of The Brookings Institution in Washington DC, United States, said some businessmen from Nigeria demand for low quality products.
A statement yesterday by Africa Today publisher Kayode Soyinka quoted Sun as speaking at the Africa-China Summit, organised by the newspaper in Abuja.
She said: “I have been asked this question many times. I take these issues to them, and they say they are aware. And they say they see it as a problem, but say: ‘We sell what they are willing to pay.’ From their perspective and their answers, they say they have products of different levels of quality and all levels of prices and no one should expect the best quality of product with the lowest price. And that is not just economical and that does not follow all the rules. Their argument is best on supply, meeting the local demands given their economic capacity. They are willing and capable of supplying Africa with the kind of product they sell to Europe, which they sell to the United States. But the question is can African market afford that? I am not defending their position. I am just saying that is some economic argument.”
The statement also quoted former United Kingdom Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Sir Vince Cable as noting that China was now trying to build a reputation with the international community by improving the quality of its products.
Cable said: “What is happening is that there are Chinese companies trying to become global leaders and with high quality. Still, there are certain Chinese companies that don’t have those interests at heart. Another general comment that I will make is that China has got a bad reputation in Africa for cutting corners, companies coming here to use timber that was not properly accredited, using wild animals for export and so on. I think in general, the Chinese authorities and the leading Chinese companies are now really determined to get away from that past.” The Nation
