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Resting on good foundations for several decades, Algerian-Chinese economic cooperation still has a bright future ahead of it, given the opportunities available to both countries, particularly for Algeria, which should benefit from the know-how and all-round progress made by the Middle Kingdom.
Agriculture, industry, new technologies, tourism, among others, are all sectors that present undeniable partnership opportunities, especially since the Chinese side displays a strong desire for cooperation.
This is the observation established but, above all, expressed by several Chinese officials from different provinces of China who met an Algerian delegation, composed of representatives of national media, researchers and university professors. Having traveled to these respective regions, the latter were able to see first-hand the giant step taken by this country, and this in various fields.
Agriculture, classified as a strategic and priority sector by Algeria, can be the subject of cooperation with the Chinese side, which has developed unprecedented know-how in this area, particularly in the context of the introduction of new technologies in the sector. Xinjiang, an autonomous region in western China, which covers an area of more than 1.6 million square kilometers, with Urumqi as its capital, is an agricultural region par excellence, characterized by the production of a multitude of vegetables and fruits. It can be a model for Algeria in its quest to achieve its food security.
Local authorities have also expressed their willingness to collaborate with Algeria in various fields. It should be noted that this willingness had been underlined by the Chinese side, on the occasion of the visit to Algeria of a high-level Chinese delegation, composed of officials from the autonomous region of Xinjiang, at the end of 2023. Xinjiang’s willingness to collaborate with Algeria in various fields, particularly in the sector of culture, heritage protection as well as in the agricultural sector, in particular cotton cultivation, had then been mentioned.
Xu Guixiang, secretary of the leading party member’s group, Xinjiang Foreign Affairs Office, leading a delegation composed of representatives from several local departments, recalled the solid multi-sectoral relations between Algeria and China. He highlighted the progress made by his locality in various fields and especially indicated his willingness to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
And it was Hu Yong, deputy director on international and regional cooperation division, Xinjiang Commerce department, who spoke about the direct economic relations between Algeria and the locality of Xinjiang. He reported the increase in the volume of bilateral trade and especially stressed the desire to strengthen this win-win cooperation, which will affect several sectors of activity.
And it is particularly in the field of agriculture that cooperation looks promising. A company specializing in the production and processing of tomatoes and the production of other derivative products (sauces, tomato juice, vinegar, etc.) has in fact expressed the possibility and availability of the company to come and invest in Algeria which, it should be noted, has an abundant production of tomatoes but does not always find a buyer given the limited processing capacities.
The head of the company Xiao Chu Food Co Ltd presented to the Algerian delegation the activity of the company which has accumulated 40 years of experience, while discussing the prospects of the company which has 487 workers.
“Our products are exported to several countries in the world but are not present in Algeria. We can share our experience with Algeria,” she said. With experience accumulated over several years, the head of the company, who pointed out the good quality of fruits and vegetables from the Xinjiang region, said that the production unit is 100% automated. “We are the first to have created a 100% automatic production line, using artificial intelligence,” she said. Pointing out the large production capacities of this unit, which exports a third of its production, she highlighted the good quality of its products which meet health standards.
Expanding cooperation to several areas
The results of the introduction of new technologies in the agricultural sector were also exhibited at the Xinjiang Agricultural Expo Park. An overview of modern agriculture in Xinjiang was presented to the Algerian delegation, which had the opportunity to discover the results of advanced technologies used for agricultural development. This farm, which is part of the regional Department of Agriculture, has revolutionized agricultural production. The presentations made on site, with a demonstration on the use of these new techniques throughout the production process (seeds, irrigation, sunshine system and distribution of humidity and air, etc.) demonstrated the impact of new technologies in the agricultural sector. The optimization of space, the increase in production and the reduction of production costs by 90% are guaranteed by the use of these new techniques and automatic equipment, 90% of which are produced in China.
The same tone is set on the side of Guizhou, an inland province in the southwest of the People’s Republic of China, whose capital is Guiyang. The desire to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Algeria is also expressed. Received by a delegation from the local government in Guiyang, headed by Tao Pingsheng, director general of the Guizhou provincial foreign affairs office, the Algerian delegation had to discover the great potential of this mountainous province, which can be the subject of partnership between the two parties, which are called upon to strengthen their economic cooperation.
According to him, several sectors of activity can be concerned by this partnership, such as artificial intelligence, medicine, smart agriculture, urban planning, tourism and culture. In this sense, the official expressed the importance of establishing a twinning between the locality of Guizhou and an Algerian wilaya. It should be noted that trade between the two parties experienced a boom in the first quarter of the current year, with an increase of 40%, estimated at more than 100 million dollars, according to this official, who expressed interest in strengthening cooperation between the two parties.
Tao Pingsheng, who noted the fact that Algeria has joined the “Belt and Road” initiative, returned to the specificities of the Guizhou region, characterized mainly by its mineral wealth, very important basic infrastructures, a highway network of 8,000 km and its multitude of bridges, the highest of which is 565 meters, but which also has minority groups. The strategy implemented to eradicate poverty in the region was also highlighted, in addition to the establishment of major companies active in artificial intelligence and the development of new solutions.
This is the case of the large Data Center but also of Guiyang Longmaster information technology, specialized in connected health services. A demonstration on these services and their effectiveness was made live.
Urumqi International Dry Port: The Beating Heart of the Belt and Road
The strategic role of the Urumqi dry port was also highlighted by Chinese officials. During a visit to this infrastructure, described as the flagship of Xinjiang’s economy, its importance was demonstrated.
The Xinjiang region, at the center of trade between the Asian continent and the European continent, has thus become the main center of the “Belt and Road” initiative, which is a “link” between several countries and major international markets.
This will facilitate trade, especially thanks to the important railway network developed in the region. This will guarantee a fast and efficient connection between China and several countries on different continents, with the possibility of making land, air and sea connections. Thousands of tons of goods are thus exported from China to other Asian countries but also to Europe.