Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Monday that the
reconstruction of Afghanistan offers broad business opportunities
for Chinese firms.
Karzai expressed his will to attract various Chinese firms to
open or develop business in his country at a China-Afghanistan
Business Seminar, saying the reconstruction process of Afghanistan
will last for at least two to three decades and the growing and
extending market of Afghanistan can offer considerable profit to
Chinese investors.
He said the current Afghan reconstruction involves every aspect
of life, including roads, schools, hospitals, housing and
factories. He welcomes Chinese firms to invest in the areas of
underground resources, telecommunications, transportation,
construction and building materials.
According to Karzai, the Afghan economy, per capita income and
foreign exchange reserves have grown significantly over the past
four years. This growth will continue in the next five to ten years
at between 10 to 13 percent.
The bilateral trade volume between Afghan and China has
increased to about US$400 million to US$500 million today, which is
mainly exports from China to Afghanistan, said Karzai.
The Afghan president said he hopes Afghanistan could be China's
closest country connecting Iran, Turkmenistan and the rest of the
region.
Afghanistan is facilitating foreign businesses in the country by
reduced bureaucracy, simplified procedures and legal protection,
said Karzai, adding that his country will protect the property of
Chinese firms and guarantee their rights to bring money back to
China.
He reassured the Chinese entrepreneurs attending the seminar
that they "will not miss Chinese food in Afghanistan" because there
are already several Chinese restaurants in Kabul.
(Xinhua News Agency June 20, 2006)
