20 June, 2013
From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.
Ghana arrested more than 100 Chinese nationals this month, they were accused of illegally mining gold. In February,Zambia seized a Chinese mine because of safety concerns. And Gabon is set to seize property from three foreign oil companies - including one from China.
Some observers say these and other incidents appear to be part of reaction by Afirica government against Chinese investment on the continent. China became Africa’s top trade partner in 2009. Yet some Africans believe they are exporting valuable resources to China but not getting enough in return.
Bright Simons is the director of development research with the IMANI group. He says China is no longer known only for giving loans and sending workers to build hospitals and roads. He says China is now a business partner.
"My view is that it has just gone to another phase, a more mature phase, where Africans are much more sober about what it will take to engage China on a level playing field."
Ghana has taken steps against foreigners involved in small-scale gold mining, also called "shallow mining." Only Ghanaians can get government approval for this kind of mining. Bright Simons says Ghanaians then "rent" the permits to foreigners who have the money and training to actually get the gold.
Observers say nations like Niger and Gabon, just want to get more for their natural resources - more money for the state, more local jobs and better living conditions. Worldwide demand for oil, coal, iron ore and uranium has made their negotiation position stronger. Some nations are also concerned about abusive or illegal operations.
Ben Payton is an Africa expert for the risk study group Maplecroft, he says ties between China and African governments are for the most part "very good and getting stronger." But he says the reported poor treatment of local workers by Chinese businesses could test those relations.
"In places like Zambia, like Ghana, there’s a lot of resentment towards the Chinese and a lot of pressure on the government to avoid granting concessions to Chinese companies. In the longer term, pressure from below really is going to be the challenge for the China-Africa relationship."
He says African nations are limiting the number of foreign employees and demanding that investors process natural resources locally. In Gabon, the government says it is planning not to extend operating promises for oil fields held by three companies, including Addax, which is part of China’s Sinopec. The government blameds Addax for reducing Gabon’s cut of the profits. Addax has denied this.
Ben Payton says this dispute shows Gabon’s desire to get more from its own natural resources. Despite the recent problems, most experts believe the partnership between China and African will grow - but perhaps on more equal terms.
And that’s the Economics Report, I’m Christopher Cruise.
From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.
這里是美國之音慢速英語經(jīng)濟(jì)報道。
Ghana arrested more than 100 Chinese nationals this month, they were accused of illegally mining gold. In February, Zambia seized a Chinese mine because of safety concerns. And Gabon is set to seize property from three foreign oil companies - including one from China.
加納本月初逮捕了100多名中國公民,他們被指控非法開采黃金。今年2月,贊比亞因為安全問題查封了一家中國控制的礦山。而加蓬計劃查封三家外國石油公司的資產(chǎn),其中包括一家中國公司。
Some observers say these and other incidents appear to be part of reaction by African government against Chinese investment on the continent. China became Africa’s top trade partner in 2009. Yet some Africans believe they are exporting valuable resources to China but not getting enough in return.
一些觀察人士表示,這些以及其它事件似乎是非洲政府針對中國在非洲大陸投資的一部分回應(yīng)。2009年中國成為非洲最大的貿(mào)易伙伴。然而一些非洲人認(rèn)為他們把寶貴資源出口到中國,卻沒有得到充分回報。
Bright Simons is the director of development research with the IMANI group. He says China is no longer known only for giving loans and sending workers to build hospitals and roads. He says China is now a business partner.
布賴特·西蒙斯是IMANI組織的發(fā)展研究部門的負(fù)責(zé)人。他表示,中國不再僅僅以提供貸款和派遣工人修建醫(yī)院和道路而著稱。他稱中國現(xiàn)在是一個貿(mào)易伙伴。
"My view is that it has just gone to another phase, a more mature phase, where Africans are much more sober about what it will take to engage China on a level playing field."
他說,“我的觀點(diǎn)是,它只是進(jìn)入了另一個更為成熟的階段。這個階段非洲人對在公平競爭環(huán)境下采取什么措施應(yīng)對中國更為清醒了。”
Ghana has taken steps against foreigners involved in small-scale gold mining, also called "shallow mining." Only Ghanaians can get government approval for this kind of mining. Bright Simons says Ghanaians then "rent" the permits to foreigners who have the money and training to actually get the gold.
加納已經(jīng)采取措施反對外國人參與小規(guī)模金礦開采,這也被稱為“淺層開采”。只有加納人才能獲得政府批準(zhǔn)進(jìn)行這類開采。西蒙斯表示,加納人隨后把許可證“租”給擁有足夠資金和培訓(xùn)的外國人去實際開采黃金。
Observers say nations like Niger and Gabon, just want to get more for their natural resources - more money for the state, more local jobs and better living conditions. Worldwide demand for oil, coal, iron ore and uranium has made their negotiation position stronger. Some nations are also concerned about abusive or illegal operations.
觀察人士表示,像尼日爾和加蓬等國家只是想從它們的自然資源中獲得更多回報 -- 更多稅收,更多本地就業(yè)機(jī)會和更好的生活條件。對石油、煤炭、鐵礦石和鈾的全球性需求使得他們的談判地位更為強(qiáng)勢。一些國家還擔(dān)心濫采和非法開采。
Ben Payton is an Africa expert for the risk study group Maplecroft, he says ties between China and African governments are for the most part "very good and getting stronger." But he says the reported poor treatment of local workers by Chinese businesses could test those relations.
本·佩頓(Ben Payton)是風(fēng)險研究組織Maplecroft的非洲問題專題。他表示,中非政府之間的關(guān)系很好并越來越強(qiáng)。但他說,中國企業(yè)提供給本地工人待遇差的報道可能會考驗它們之間的關(guān)系。
"In places like Zambia, like Ghana, there’s a lot of resentment towards the Chinese and a lot of pressure on the government to avoid granting concessions to Chinese companies. In the longer term, pressure from below really is going to be the challenge for the China-Africa relationship."
他說,“在贊比亞和加納等地,對中國人的反感很大,也有很大壓力要求政府避免對中國公司做出讓步。長遠(yuǎn)來說,來自底層的壓力即將成為中非關(guān)系的挑戰(zhàn)。”
He says African nations are limiting the number of foreign employees and demanding that investors process natural resources locally. In Gabon, the government says it is planning not to extend operating promises for oil fields held by three companies, including Addax, which is part of China’s Sinopec. The government blames Addax for reducing Gabon’s cut of the profits. Addax has denied this.
他說,非洲政府正在限制外籍員工數(shù)量,并要求投資者在當(dāng)?shù)丶庸ぷ匀毁Y源。在加蓬,政府聲稱正計劃不延長三家公司旗下油田的經(jīng)營許可,其中包括中國石化公司分支Addax公司。政府指責(zé)Addax公司降低了加蓬的利潤份額。Addax公司對此予以否認(rèn)。
Ben Payton says this dispute shows Gabon’s desire to get more from its own natural resources. Despite the recent problems, most experts believe the partnership between China and African will grow - but perhaps on more equal terms.
佩頓表示,這一爭端顯示了加蓬從自有自然資源獲得更多回報的愿望。盡管有最近這些問題,多數(shù)專家認(rèn)為中非伙伴關(guān)系將會增強(qiáng),但可能會基于更平等的條款。
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