07 Sep 2018

President Mokgweetsi Masisi has described his three-day state visit to China a success following the signing of  four agreements intended to bolster investor confidence.

In an interview, the President said  the visit presented an opportunity for strengthening and cementing bilateral relations between the two countries.

He said in his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jingping, they agreed to build an unbreakable community with a shared future and strategic importance.

President Masisi said the visit painted a rosy picture of what a country could do to turn around its economic fortunes, owing to the opportunities and partnerships available.

For Botswana to transition from aid, he said, the country needed to focus more on trade networks and work tirelessly towards seeking high income status.

The President observed that China was endowed with skills that could benefit Botswana in areas such as infrastructure development, capacity building and Information Communication Technology among others.

In addition, government was looking at crating  opportunities that would lead to foreign direct investment in the areas of tourism, hosting of international events and business joint ventures with the Chinese in an effort to divert from a resource led economy, he said.

President Masisi’s first interaction with his Chinese counterpart resulted in benefitting the country with an over P340 million windfall and the cancellation an P80 million debt.

The Botswana-China business forum availed opportunities for interaction with Botswana Investment Trade Centre, Business Botswana and China Council for the Promotion on International Trade.

At the forum, President Masisi officially lured potential Chinese investors to Botswana saying the country was fast tracking the implementation of Business Reform Roadmap with a view to easing doing business in the country.

The visit also presented President Masisi and BDP executive members with an opportunity to network and exchange  solidarity messages with China Communist Party leaders.

Mr Masisi said his party members came along because the Chinese believed in a developmental path that directed through political will.

In another interview, Permanent Secretary to the President Mr Carter Morupisi said a lot had been learnt from the Chinese businesses and their work acumen during the tour of a number of plants and China’s municipal hubs as well as economic zones.

Mr Morupisi said Batswana, especially the public service, could learn a lot from exchange programmes and visits with the Chinese.

“The insights, the know-how and the desire in what they do is amazing,” he said.

He said he was impressed with the way Chinese conducted business especially the government parastatals which he said delivered with vigor and zeal, a sign of patriotism.

The FOCAC summit saw African leaders among them President Masisi adopted the declaration on building a China-Africa community with a shared future and action plan for the next three years.

The African countries agreed to build FOCAC into a brand for China-Africa cooperation and a flagship example of international cooperation with Africa under the principle of achieving shared growth through discussions and collaborations. ENDS