NIIA expert: "Basic science, technology development fundamental to China´s success story"

Source: Xinhua | 10-06-2008 10:10

LAGOS, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- Besides adoption of reform and opening-up policy, basic science and technology development provided solid foundation for China's economic growth, Osita Agbu, an expert of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), has said during an interview with Xinhua recently in Lagos, Nigeria.

"Most of people in China have been lifted out of poverty since the adoption of reform and opening-up policy, it has too much positive to say about the achievements," said the expert.

He praised Chinese leaders' determination for adopting such a policy 30 years ago, saying that the decision not only changed Chinese people's life but also changed the world, for instance, Nigeria and China could share an increasing closer business ties since then.

Before China's reform and opening-up to the outside world in 1978, the country had built up its industrial framework, based on well-developed basic science and technology, he said.

More than 20-years of close-up since 1949 had prevented China's infant national industries from exposing to foreign competition and considerably scaled up before its opening-up, said Agbu.

But he also pointed out that this could only happen in particular time and space, in which globalization was not as overwhelming as in nowadays.

He regretted that Nigeria lost the opportunity to build up its industrial muscle before opening up to western world; otherwise emphasizing that instead of close-up again, taking advantage of globalization would be the only way for developing countries like Nigeria to achieve their own success stories.

He listed livestock, automobile, IT, agriculture, power-generating, transportation, energy and telecom industries as basic industries crucial to national economic independence and safety. Science and technology related to these industries could be included into basics.

In the era of globalization, Nigeria, a nation blessed of abundant oil and gas resources, needs to learn China's experience on reform and opening-up policy as well as its well-considered strategy of development basic science and technology in the country, said the NIIA expert.

Many Chinese companies have entered Nigerian market to exploit business opportunities, especially in manufacturing sector, he said.

Nigerian federal government and some state governments have established some Free Trade Zones to attract more Chinese investments in the future.

On energy cooperation, the NIIA expert said that Africa would like to accept Chinese companies as a new partner, in addition to western companies, on exploiting the continent's rich natural resources on the basis of lawful operation and caring for harmony with local communities and host countries, as well as taking social responsibilities.

China and Nigeria, both are developing countries, sharing many things in common, could reach win-win agreements on bilateral political and economic cooperation, said the expert.

Mutual-respect and mutual-benefit could be a principle to boost economic and political ties between China and Africa, he said.

(By Qiu Jun)

Editor:Zhang Ning