China-Africa economic, trade cooperation on progressive trajectory: Kenyan executive

NAIROBI, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Sino-African economic and trade cooperation has experienced sustained growth, unleashing benefits to the continent including the growth of local manufacturing, skills transfer and jobs for the youth, said a Kenyan trade lobby executive.

Fredrick Mukilya, the chief representative of Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry to China, said that Africa could secure a prosperous and inclusive future once it increases the volume of goods exported to the Asian country. Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a membership-based trade support organization.

"If you look at how Africa has been trading with China, there is a progressive growth for the last fourteen years because of acceptance of African products within the Chinese community," Mukilya told Xinhua during a recent interview in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

According to Mukilya, Africa's exports of agricultural commodities to China have been increasing 11.4 percent annually. He suggested that for African countries to increase the volume of agricultural commodities exported to China, governments must invest in value addition, and enhance the capacity of producers to meet phytosanitary requirements.

African chambers of commerce are keen to advance trade ties with China by setting up offices in the Asian Nation to help understand its dynamic market, Mukilya said.

According to Mukilya, early this year, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry set up an office in Changsha, the capital of central China's Hunan Province, with him in charge, to help link up investors and traders from both sides. He will leave for China Wednesday.

Kenya has in the last two years exported Hass avocados to China. In June, the first batch of anchovies sourced from the coast region was shipped to the Asian country to coincide with the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo held in Changsha from June 29 to July 2.

Mukilya said that Kenya is well-positioned to increase the export of coffee, tea, flowers, and cashew nuts to the Chinese market, amid growing demand by retail clients. He revealed that during the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, the Kenyan delegation met a Chinese entrepreneur who was keen to undertake bulk coffee import from the East African nation.