8 January 2007, by Elly Wamari in Nairobi, Kenya. When a Chinese travel consultant recently said that the number of tourists from China to Africa had doubled in 2006 to more than 200,000, it was simply more of a confirmation of what was already visible. Because of their distinctive physical features, the Chinese are among some of the easiest people to spot. It makes no sense, therefore, to dispute the observation by Mr Zhang Yuanxiang – the general manager of China Travel Services (Kenya) – when the frequency with you will bump into a Chinese in Nairobi (Kenya"s capital and one of the most vibrant cities in Africa) has visibly shot up.
But many of these people are no ordinary tourists though. According to Yuanxiang, a good number of Chinese travellers to Africa in the year just ended were potential investors searching for business opportunities.
Kenya happens to be a favourite entry point to Africa. It has also become a preferred spot for many Chinese investors to establish business links. The Kenyan market is presently receiving hard to avoid Chinese products, and these range from simple items such as pencils, to sophisticated electronic goods.
A recent experience could help illustrate just how difficult it is to miss a Chinese item in Kenya these days. I recently impulsively bought a pair of shoes because the price was exceptionally attractive for the quality and style that the pair spotted. I didn"t understand why they were so fairly priced until when I got home and found the label that had been tucked inside the shoes. "Made in China", it read.
A few days later, I was to finally find a cheap wine bottle opener. While many of the ones I had seen were selling at an average price of about $10, this one was about $4. Again, it happened to be a Chinese product.
In a country where 56 per cent of the estimated 32 million population are barely able to live beyond the basics, it makes sense for someone to come in with more affordable commodities. The quality of Chinese products may not be of the standard of similar ones from the West, but they are bridging an important gap. The price of a commodity is still a very important purchase decision in Kenya, and the Chinese seem to have found some workable balance between price and quality.
That is the reason shoes and clothing from Italy and Britain are not moving as fast as those from China. Distributors of established brands of electronic goods have lately had to reduce prices to counter the competition of cheaper Chinese products. Japanese television sets that were previously going for about $300 are now selling at an average of $215. In the service industry, the Chinese are also penetrating the construction industry and the running of motor vehicle garages. These were previously monopolised by companies owned by South East Asians.
Other African countries are experiencing similar trends, according to reports. Statistics indicate that by September last year, China had established more than 800 enterprises in Africa, worth about $11 billion.
The figure is likely to rise this year, if the Chinese government unveils a promised China-Africa Development Fund. The fund is meant to encourage more Chinese to invest in Africa. Already, unconfirmed reports indicate that a subsidiary of China"s Holley Group is planning to launch a production facility for anti-malaria drugs in a yet to be disclosed African country.
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