On the 13th and 14th August 2016, The Embassy of Rwandan in China organized a Business Forum that brought together the Rwandan Business Community in China together with Chinese Investors dominantly from the city of Shanghai.

The Business Forum was facilitated by the Touchroad Media Holdings Ltd in cooperation with Shanghai Science &Technology Development and Exchange Center. Three hundred Chinese Companies were represented at the event.

The Chairman of Touchroad Company Ltd. Mr. He Liehui praised the good relationship between Rwanda and China that created favorable conditions for Chinese Companies that are investing in Rwanda and encouraged others to go global and invest in Rwanda in particular. The Chairman of Touchroad Holdings further praised Rwanda business environment which has been rated the second best on the continent of Africa and which continues to improve at a faster pace globally.

The Mr. Liu Beimin, the Deputy Director of Foreign Economic Cooperation Department of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce on his side thanked the Rwandan government for all it has done to facilitate international Business investments in many different sectors. He lauded the China and Rwanda political relationship which provides a good climate for business between the two parties.

Mr. Yin Bangqi the Director of Shanghai Science & Technology Development said that Technology remains the root channel of all investments and both Countries are working together for increasing the capacity of  ICT Infrastructure. Rwanda is well advanced in ICT with its nationwide broadband coverage and internet penetration.

The Rwandan and Chinese Business Community representatives were also given opportunity to share their experience and thanked both counties for allowing them to work freely and in a good business environment. Mr. Edward the representative of Chinese Community working in Kigali said that “The government of Rwanda remains the priority destination in East Africa due to good measures taken to facilitate the business investment in Rwanda.”

His Excellency Ambassador Charles Kayonga, in his official remarks, praised the cooperation that exists between the two countries, now in the 45^th year and highlighted business status in Rwanda notably pointing at the security advantage enjoyed by Rwanda on the continent as well as her geographic advantage as an inland hub at the convergence of the Eastern and Central African Regions as well as the Tripartite Free Trade Area of the East African Community, COMESA and SADC.

Rwanda remains well positioned to serve as hub not only for meetings and conferences but also for logistics and transport, finance, ICT and telecommunications. The Ambassador was optimistic that trade between Rwanda and China would be further boosted in the next three years given the Forum for China Africa Cooperation action program agreed in South Africa by Chinese and African leaders. In addition, Rwanda Air, the National Carrier Airlines was due to fly to Guangzhou later this year and would definitely give Rwanda a lion’s share of the one hundred million Chinese tourists going abroad annually.

The Investment Forum was concluded by National Harvest Day “Umuganura” where the Rwandan Community came together to celebrate the harvest and exchanged on the development aspects of the country. Speaking on the occasion, the Ambassador pointed out the role of the leadership of Rwanda as the single most important factor in the Rwandan transformation and challenged the youth present as the next generation of leaders to emulate the patriotism demonstrated by those who sacrificed their lives to liberate Rwanda and to stop the genocide against the Tutsi.

Ambassador urged the students present to focus on their education and live a disciplined lifestyle as the current phase of their life was an investment phase to shape their character and values.

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