Harnessing the power of fresh talent

High-end talent from China helps Africa to gain access to better technologies, processes

The Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2006 was a significant milestone in relations between the two sides as among other things it called for increased people-to-people exchanges.

Yet another reason why that meeting was significant is because it encouraged the flow of more high-end, young talent to Africa. China's presence in Africa, till then was mostly restricted to employees working on low-end, often labor-intensive projects.

What started as a trickle now looks set to be a major flood as more Chinese companies are expanding their operations to Africa. There are several reasons to explain this.

Chinese talent in Africa has evolved from traditional, elementary technical workers to senior technicians, engineers, professors, senior executives and financial professionals. The overall personnel qualifications, knowledge and literacy levels have also greatly improved.

The talent pool in Africa has become more diversified due to the continued expansion of Chinese businesses, coupled with increased Sino-African non-governmental exchanges.

The diversification is more than evident when one looks at the various sectors that the Chinese companies operate in. Contracting, infrastructure construction, agricultural production, resource exploration, manufacturing, business services, financial services, healthcare, journalism, academic research, language training, and volunteer work are just some of these.

There has also been a steady pick-up in the number of young talent with an international perspective. More college graduates are now joining Chinese companies in Africa for short-term projects. Many of them have also gone on to become the backbone of Chinese-funded institutions in Africa.

Some of these students, after a few years working in Africa, seek opportunities to start their own businesses, such as opening Internet cafes, supermarkets and project contracting. Chinese students are also members of international NGO projects in Africa, which further broadens the communication avenues between the two sides.

There is no doubt that enhanced cooperation can deepen mutual understanding and bring benefits to both sides. The influx of high-end talent will also boost technology transfer to Africa.

China's project contracting business in Africa saw the entry of Chinese workers with little technical ability. They took jobs that could have gone to Africans. As a result only a small portion of the local workforce were able to join the Chinese enterprises and learn the appropriate technology.

However, with the investment categories diversified to manufacturing, resource exploration and high-tech industries, more high-level professionals and technical personnel are now coming to Africa. The Chinese companies have also absorbed a large number of local workforces, and strengthened cooperation with local businesses and governments.

One of the advantages with the flow of personnel is that Chinese enterprises can easily transfer technology to local workers, while local business executives can learn advanced management methods and concepts.

Chinese home appliances manufacturer Hisense Group has already shown the way when it set up a new factory in Cape Town last year. The unit employs about 500 local workers and has several Chinese engineers who train local workers in the necessary technologies.

The flow of more high-end talent from China to Africa can also strengthen non-governmental exchanges, and increase China's soft power. The talent flow is not limited to the corporate level, but also involves many non-profit and non-government groups.

For example, China has opened 31 Confucius institutes in Africa, and employs many Chinese undergraduate volunteers to teach Chinese language, history and culture in Africa.

Many experts and scholars travel to Africa each year to conduct research and academic exchanges, or conduct joint research in Sino-African relations. Some Chinese scholars have visited the South African Institute of International Studies Center for Chinese Studies and Stellenbosch University's China Study Center for research projects.

Many college students have also volunteered to be community-supported teachers in Africa through various non-governmental organizations. They are also involved in AIDS prevention and other public interest activities. These exchanges have become an integral part of talent exchanges.

Chinese high-level experts working in African multinational companies also act as a bridge between Chinese and Western companies in Africa. Such an alliance is advantageous as there is a new trend of multinational companies from different countries jointly investing in Africa.

China National Offshore Oil Corporation, Britain's Tullow Oil and France's Total have jointly invested and acquired development rights in Uganda. Such a cooperation pattern is also intended to reduce financial burdens as well as political and security risks in African countries.

The author is a researcher at the Institute of West Asian and African Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 03/28/2014 page11)