A senior Chinese trade union official said in Beijing Monday
that China plans to build a labor college for Africa in order to
enhance understanding and exchanges between grassroots members of
Chinese and African trade unions.
Su Liqing, vice president of the All-China Federation of Trade
Unions (ACFTU), addressed a closing ceremony of a trade union
seminar that China is preparing for the construction of the
college, which belongs to the Organization of African Trade Union
Unity (OATUU), a regional non-governmental organization.
"China would like to conduct various cooperation with the OATUU
and trade unions in each country through the college, "Su told some
30 African trade union leaders, who were invited here by the ACFTU
and the Ministry of Commerce to discuss on economic globalization
and China-Africa cooperation.
The seminar, one of the exchanging programs between China and
African trade unions, were considered "a very good chance to
observe and understand China" by the African trade union leaders,
most of whom are in China for the first time.
"What I have seen here is totally different from what I have
learned from media reports before, and many things are wrongly
depicted," said Mary Malate, president of the Federation of Unions
of South Africa (FEDUSA).
The accusation of forced labor are not existed and the low
social status of women are not true, as women can hold key
positions in enterprises and women workers' rights are
well-protected, said Malete.
Joseph Maqhekeni, president of National Council of Trade Unions
(NACTU), expressed his views on the disputed influx of cheap
Chinese commodities into South Africa.
Chinese commodities do have posed some threats to the local
industry, but threats are not only from China, he said.
"If not import from China, retailers will also import large
amount of products from other countries like India, Brazil to fill
in the gap left by China."
He suggested the local industries in South Africa should improve
their own capabilities could they cope with challenges from
globalization.
President of Zambia Congress of
Trade Unions (ZCTU) Leonard C. Hikaumba said the visit gave him a
better understanding of China, showing him systemically-organized
trade unions and close working relationship in different
enterprises.
He said he and his colleagues would love to be ambassadors of
the ACFTU and Chinese workers so as to convey a clear picture of
China.
Besides five-day lectures and discussions in the Chinese
capital, the two-week seminar also brought the African trade union
leaders to state-owned enterprises in Northwest China's Shaanxi
Province and private and foreign companies in the economic hub of
Shanghai.
(Xinhua News Agency September 26, 2006)
