Jimu News reporter Zhao Bei
War is another name for Afghanistan. In 2001, the United States invaded Afghanistan, and in the following 20 years, this troubled country has been raging. It was also this year that China formally joined the World Trade Organization. In the second year, Yu Minghui, a Chinese entrepreneur, entered Afghanistan and started doing business, investing, and building factories.
This Chinese businessman who has been doing business in Kabul for 20 years is the builder of the "One Belt One Road" Afghanistan Chinatown and the director of the China-Arab Economic and Trade Promotion Committee of the China World Trade Organization Research Institute of the Ministry of Commerce. After the "changing days" in Afghanistan, he chose to stay in Kabul.
Exterior view of Chinatown in Afghanistan (photo courtesy of the interviewee)
"20 years of turmoil in Afghanistan, 20 years of China's accession to the WTO, 20 years of your entry into Afghanistan, these three 20 years are actually 20 years. These 20 years, you are right How do the Chinese, Chinese companies, and the Chinese economy feel about the practices of the Chinese economy in Afghanistan?" On August 17, a reporter from JiMu connected with Yu Minghui, the representative of Afghanistan’s Chinatown who was staying in Kabul. He said that after we built the Minghai Steel Plant in 2008, the Afghans said that "the Chinese are the builders" and continue to promote the Afghan Chinatown project. At present, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. He chose to stay, also based on integrity, "can't let Afghans say that our Chinese company is not trustworthy."
The Chinese are the builders
Extreme news: What is the situation in Kabul?
Yu Minghui: We live at a local friend’s house. There has been no firefighting in the city in the past two days. There are not many residents on the street outside the window. There is no chaos, but we can see the fully armed Taliban armed personnel, as a whole More restraint. The company is also intact, and our safety is guaranteed for the time being. I hope that the situation will stabilize as soon as possible.
Kabul city scene (photo courtesy interviewee)
Extreme news: The current situation,You chose to stay in Afghanistan; under the turbulent situation 20 years ago, you chose to enter Afghanistan. Why are your choices different from most people?
Yu Minghui: This is actually a consideration of the macro situation. Twenty years ago, we considered the excellent situation of China’s opening up and the vast business opportunities in Afghanistan, and believed that restoration and reconstruction were the mainstream. Today, 20 years later, we have an in-depth understanding of Afghan politics and people, and the reason is that we have signed two important contracts with the local Afghan, and we are going to a critical moment. We cannot let Afghans say that our Chinese company is not trustworthy, so Entered Afghanistan 20 years ago and stayed in Afghanistan today.
Extreme News: specifically talk about the process of entering Afghanistan 20 years ago.
Yu Minghui: In 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization. I think this is a good time for outward development. At that time, I went to Iran, UAE , and Russia. Later I did a lot of research and practice in Afghanistan. There is an urgent need for basic industrial construction and it is more friendly to the Chinese, so I chose Afghanistan.
I remember very clearly that March 14, 2002, was the day I entered Afghanistan for the first time. In the next two years, we went back and forth to Afghanistan 7 more visits. We went more often and found that there were business opportunities everywhere. For example, a large number of scrap cars, tanks, construction steel and shells were left after the war. A large amount of steel is needed for reconstruction in Afghanistan, but no local company can turn these scraps into steel.
Since 2008, I have invested in the establishment of Minghai Steel Plant with local partners. Since the completion of the steel plant, we have won the recognition and goodwill of the Afghan government, tribes, and civil society. The Afghan media and ordinary people began to call "Chinese people are builders."
has been deeply cultivated in Afghanistan for 20 years, and Chinese companies have grown up in a foreign land
Extreme News: has been rooted for 20 years,What are the economic experiences?
Yu Minghui: Specifically, before 2004, I was doing trade in Afghanistan; in 2004, I felt that there was no greater risk of war, and I started to invest and build factories; 2008 was the dividing line, and since then I have been firmly investing in Afghanistan. In 2019, we established Kabul Afghanistan China Town. This year, we have introduced six factories including cables, plastic packaging, paint, daily chemicals, clothing and shoes, which have been put into production one after another and are now under commissioning.
For our Afghanistan Chinatown alone, we have been cultivating for 20 years. What Afghanistan urgently needs and what we have is actually very clear. China’s industrial chain is very complete, and our open and cooperative environment will be in harmony with Afghanistan’s urgent needs. Combine them to realize the mutual promotion of resources, industries, and markets.
Extreme News: How has your relationship with the Afghan people been in the past 20 years?
Yu Minghui: In fact, our relationship with ordinary people in Afghanistan is established through commercial activities. In the beginning, it was mainly business contacts, and then they also gathered on festivals, holidays, and weddings, and gradually became friends. It is a friend who has contacts, introducing products and introducing workers. The unemployment rate in Afghanistan is very high. It is difficult to find a permanent job. The safety and reliability introduced by friends is exactly what we need. The company will also give them some benefits, and friendship will slowly build up.
This is one aspect. The Afghans themselves also respect etiquette, character, and abide by the rules. For example, once I was driving and waiting for a traffic light, a child was begging, and I promised to give him $1. At that time, I had no change and gave him a $5 bill. The kid asked me for $4.
As soon as we heard that the Taliban had entered Kabul, local people contacted us and asked if we could go there and they could provide safe shelter. This moved us very much.
Anmin’s notice felt a different Afghanistan
Situation in Kabul (photo courtesy of the interviewee)Have you been there for 20 years, is there any difference?
Yu Minghui: The actual situation is not that messy. I have been in Kabul for so many years and have not heard the sound of guns in the real sense of war. This situation mainly appears on TV, and it may be in other provinces. Kabul rare.
In the past few days, most of the Chinese who stayed in Kabul are concentrated in Chinatown, Afghanistan. At present, the order in Chinatown is relatively stable, and the security measures are in place according to the plan. The environment we live in is much calmer than outsiders imagine.
Regardless of the big battle or the small battle, Kabul has not appeared in the past few days. Instead, the Anmin notices have been released one after another, which makes people feel a lot more at ease.
Extreme News: Do you say that there are signs of peace in the city, did the Taliban have changed a lot from 20 years ago?
Yu Minghui: I feel a lot of changes, they seem to have matured a lot. Judging from the information they have so far, they have begun to contact the international community and have issued peace promises to Afghanistan. Their attitudes are relatively mild after entering the city. Looking out from the window, although there are Taliban fighters in the city, they did not see them harassing residents and factories.
This is very similar to what we said when we dealt with the relevant departments in Afghanistan: Do you want to have a meal every day, or just want to eat a big meal, regardless of your belly? The performance of the Taliban after entering the city and protecting foreign investors are conducive to their economic recovery and post-war reconstruction goals. I think they can understand this. This is also the consideration of the macro situation that I mentioned earlier, and this is also my judgment on the changes in the situation in Afghanistan over the past 20 years.
Chinese companies and Chinese people must maintain the image of China
Extreme news: Based on the above considerations, what opportunities do you think Chinese companies have in Afghanistan in the future?
Yu Minghui: First of all,Restoration and reconstruction is a major trend, and this is an obvious opportunity; secondly, the departments that we have cooperated with are still working as usual. The company is only in a rest period and has not been destroyed. Many small businesses and hawkers are also operating normally. This shows that The situation is fairly stable, and this is also an opportunity. Third, there is a shortage of factories in Afghanistan, a shortage of people’s livelihood, a shortage of skilled workers, and difficult employment. China is the country with the most complete industrial chain in the world today. The country has also proposed a dual-cycle policy, which is even more an opportunity.
Extreme News: In terms of specific industries, which ones are more promising?
Yu Minghui: Only from my own experience and feelings, in addition to the steel, cement and other building materials industries and infrastructure construction that are directly related to restoration and reconstruction, the power industry has a bright future. One is that Afghanistan is very short of electricity, and the other is that Afghanistan is one of the few sunny countries in the world and has a bright prospect for the development of solar energy. For example, the solar energy system made by our company is very common in China, and it is the leading technology in Afghanistan. It is fully adapted to the Afghan climate and has formed a good reputation.
As far as the entire large power industry is concerned, the development of China's power industry is not only advanced, but also outstanding in terms of practicality and applicability. In the past two or three years, the Afghan Chinatown has gradually let the Afghan power sector understand the role of China. We introduced wind, water, fire, and new energy. They all listened with gusto, from questioning to accepting, from shaking to trusting.
Extreme News: , from the perspective of a Chinese entrepreneur who has persisted in Afghanistan for 20 years, would you give some suggestions for the future practice of investing in Afghanistan and the Chinese economy?
Yu Minghui: suggestion can't talk about it, I can only talk about my own experience. First of all, Afghanistan is a country with obvious tribal social characteristics. In addition to observing government rules and commercial agreements, it must also pay special attention to human relations. This cannot be ignored.
Second, Chinese companies should not change the person in charge in two or three years. Based on the social characteristics of Afghanistan, changing the person in charge frequently will wipe out the foundations laid in the past.This is very detrimental to the sustained and stable development of the local area.
Third, Chinese companies and Chinese people who invest and do business in Afghanistan must always keep in mind that they represent more than just yourself. Your words and deeds represent the image of China in the local area. Many Afghans have never been to China or even understand China. The Chinese people and Chinese companies they can see around them are their impressions of China. You must keep this in mind.
My 20 years of experience have actually benefited from the continuous deepening of China's reform and opening up, the continuous economic and social development, and the continuous improvement of international image.
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