“Chinese people are open to you; explore them with understanding for business and friendship”.

While it is not always easy to interact with people from a different culture that we are not familiar with, taking an interest can be a very rewarding experience and of great benefit to an individual. We deprive ourselves of the inter-cultural knowledge and advantage that is necessary to lead us to collective harmony and well being. Too often, we tend to judge people from different cultures from our own cultural lenses. Cultural exchanges and people to people understanding has never been as important as in this age of globalization.

Meeting a Chinese person for the first time for most Kenyans is like their “first class in physics”. Not knowing what to expect, and reflecting on what we have heard and made to believe, we tend to adapt an irresolute attitude that only serves to limit how much we can gain can gain and give back in terms of cultural knowledge and understanding. Many people think Chinese is the most difficult language, Chinese have bad eyesight, they eat cats and dogs, they know Kung fu, are anti-social and etc. Only when we get interested, explore, learn about them, go and meet them, their country, how they live, will we be able to appreciate our differences and open up new ways of seeing them and changing our mindsets. Here are a few points to note that can help you understand and interact better with the Chinese people for business and friendship.

The best way to break the ice with a Chinese for a non-Chinese or a foreigner in China is to greet them in their own language. Chinese language was not common outside China and its environs and it’s only beginning to spread across the globe as a result of its emerging status as a dominant player in the world’s affairs. The Chinese people are very happy to hear a foreigner speak it, no matter how little or how badly.” Ni Hao” is a good start and for the Kenyan youth, sounds like a combination of Nairobi’s Swahili –English slang “Ni how” or “How is it”. The fact that you can speak a little Chinese will immediately bring a smile on a Chinese face and significantly warm the conversation.

In Africa and in the west, we greet each other and show affection through handshaking, hugging and kissing. In China, although shaking hands is becoming common, people did not hug and kiss during greetings, even amongst closest friends. Ni how and a nod works just right. Handshakes are common form of greeting foreigners and it is formal; the oldest or senior person is always greeted first. Strong handshakes are not the norm as in the case of western and African handshaking especially to signify confidence as in giving an affirmation or sealing a deal. Many Chinese will look towards the ground when greeting someone, this does not mean they are shy or unreceptive; it is a cultural trait that they are accustomed with. However, the younger generation of Chinese is becoming more liberal and adopting international trends and cultures. In today’s modern society, certain traditional greetings such as bowing have been abandoned while some traditional greetings such as the Chinese martial arts greeting (Wushu) of fist-wrapping are still preserved.

The Chinese non-verbal communication speaks volumes and should not be taken for granted. They rely on facial expressions, tone of voice and posture to express feelings and attitudes. For example frowning while someone is speaking will be interpreted as a sign of disagreement. It was considered disrespectful to stare into another person’s eyes, especially a senior or older person and in crowded situations; the Chinese generally avoid eye contact to give themselves privacy. Therefore, most Chinese maintain an impassive expression when speaking.

Chinese history and culture was based on hierarchy and formality. The Chinese people maintain a formal tone and attitude in most situations. Even amongst very close friends, there is some degree of respect and honor that is maintained. It is common for Chinese people to address the other person by an honorific title and their surname. If they want to move to a first name basis, they will advise you which name to use in case of difficulty in pronouncing their Chinese names in the case of non Chinese speaking people.

As in other cultures, Chinese people appreciate their friends with gifts and presents. Gifts giving are part and parcel of Chinese in business or between friends. Gift exchanging is common during the Chinese New year when Chinese people remember their friends and family by wishing them a happy new year with hood health and good luck. Gifts are also given during weddings, births and other occasions. Do not give scissors, knives or cutting utensils as these indicate the severing of the relationship or the friendship. Handkerchiefs and straw sandals are associated with death and funerals. Gifts should be wrapped in red and not white, blue or black paper. Red symbolizes good fortune and joy.

And most importantly; to establish and maintain a good relationship; whether you are friends or business associates, arrive on time or slightly early. The Chinese people view punctuality as a virtue and therefore arriving late could negatively affect your relationship.

Just like China, Africa should choose democratic politics according to its own conditions.

The 18^th National Congress of the CPC (Communist Party of China), otherwise known as the Chinese people’s political consultative conference begun in earnest in Beijing, China. Delegates from all over China gathered at the great hall of the people from November 8 to 14, 2012 to elect new leaders that will serve in the Political Bureau; the highest ruling body of the CPC. Almost concurrently, the People of the United States were conducting their general elections to elect a new president of the United States of America. This leadership transition in the world’s two biggest economies provided an opportunity for both experts and amateurs to analyze the differences in the political systems of the largest and second largest economies. Unfortunately, most analysts, including Africans, have made their analysis from a purely western democratic notion and failed to be objective in their conclusions about the Chinese democratic political system.

Most African states look up to the United States and other western countries as their ideal role models when it comes to political systems and managing their affairs. Democracy was used as a tool to judge good states and rogue states and most African countries copied western political systems in their pure form without considering their own internal conditions. Some have thrived under those systems and have continued to hold peaceful regular general elections, and many others like Kenya have fallen and keep falling victim to ethnic confrontation, social unrest and economic stagnation. 

There is no perfect political system model that can be applied across the world. Every country shall explore the political development road suitable for its own characteristics, as well as its own political logic.Our copycat versions often led to unexpected or even counterproductive effects. No single country has developed or matured enough to conduct the perfect elections, even the United States. 20 States in the United States of America are now petitioning to have them Secede from the federal Union as a result of the just concluded elections. 

As the Communist party of China undertook the once in a decade leadership transition in Beijing, the Chinese leadership reiterated that it will strive to improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the CPC leadership but shall never copy the political systems and development patterns of foreign countries. Admittedly, the Chinese leadership acknowledges that the democratic political system is still developing and needs to be further improved.

Since the ancient Greeks put forward the concept of Democracy more than 2500 years ago, mankind has made steady efforts to attain this ideal, and tremendous progress has been made, however, no country or people have achieved the goal of a perfect democracy. Democracy is a historical process that is relative and keeps with different levels of economic, political and cultural development with the overall development of the society. That is why young democracies face more challenges than the more mature democracies.

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC is the basic political system in China. Its formation and development have been the inevitable choice of China’s historical development.  China copied the multi-party system from the west after the revolution of 1911, which was later replaced by the Kuomintang’s one-party dictatorship. Both experiments failed. Facing a striking contrast between suppressions and persecutions, class alliances with competing interests and endless chaos, the non-communist parties in China forged bonds of unity and cooperation and stood together with the CPC in the protracted revolutionary struggles that culminated in the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC. 

In 1948, the CPC convened a new political consultative conference establishing a democratic coalition government. It comprised of representatives of the CPC, opposition parties, persons without political affiliation, people’s organizations, and representatives of localities, the people’s liberation army, ethnic minorities, overseas Chinese and all patriotic democrats. Through the CPC, people of all walks of life and groups with diverse faiths, views, affiliations and interests were united. With the realization that China could not be governed with competing interest, the Chinese people forged a strong solidarity not only ideologically and politically, but also organizationally.

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC is a special feature and advantage of China’s political system. It is the system that has enabled China to grow and achieve its potential. The CPC and the non-communist parties hold democratic consultations on major state issues and make decisions on a scientific basis and exercise supervision over each other, resulting in improved CPC leadership and strengthening other parties’ roles in national affairs. This system has been successful in avoiding political upheavals resulting from multiparty rivalry and fighting for power. It also avoids drawbacks resulting from one party rule and lack of supervision. African countries should learn from the Chinese and forge their own independent path to peace and prosperity and stop following the west blindly.

Thika road is a practical lesson on Contractual work Ethic

The Thika superhighway was officially handed over to the Kenyan government by the three Chinese contractors namely China Wu Yi Company, Shengli Engineering Construction and Synohydro Corporation Ltd. This is a rare occurrence among local contractors. Since the Thika superhighway project commenced about three years ago, Kenyans have witnessed many firsts and have woken up to new possibilities. Ever since the road construction begun, there is no day that the road was closed for motorists and construction never stopped for a single day. Have our local contractors learnt a lesson or two from the Chinese contractors? or will they continue to castigate the government for” sidelining” them”?

Prime-Minister Raila Odinga defended the dominance of Chinese contractors in Kenya citing the government’s frustration with local contractors who cannot deliver quality work on time. Local contractors had gained a reputation of abandoning projects midway, demanding more funds, and constant delays that eventually earned them the tag “cowboy contractors”. He further explained that local rogue contractors had long held the government hostage and their main agenda was to fleece the Kenyan taxpayers. The entrance of Chinese contractors however, has seen a major shift in the country’s infrastructural development. Kenya seems to be making headway in building world-class infrastructure with the Thika superhighway, and many other roads in the countryside having been managed carefully and built to world standards.

A look at Thika Superhighway and other roads built by the Chinese has shown first-class workmanship. The workmanship of the three contractors on the 50.4 km masterwork has been hailed by both the government and the local population in equal measure. Kenyans have commended them for the quality of their work and the speed at which they have delivered the project. The Chinese have strict standards of adhering to schedules and if it were not for the delays in the relocation of services like electricity lines and water pipes, they say they would have progressed much faster. There were challenges owing to the high density of the population, high traffic, underground pipes and networks and so on but the Chinese companies undertook the works with their entire arsenal and never slowed down.

Kenyans can recall that construction workers involved in building of the highway worked day and night and with speed and efficiency to complete the work within the shortest time period. Most of the Chinese workers, who have been there for the entire three years of the project, never went for holidays or took a break. This kind of dedication of time and energy, never seen among local contractors led to rumors that the Chinese contractors are prisoners from China. The Chinese ambassador during the handing over ceremony dispelled these rumors citing the Chinese work ethic and dedication to completion of tasks at hand, a virtue that makes Chinese contractors stand out from the rest.

The Chinese ethic insists on hardwork, diligence and low profile. They focus on excellence and timely completion of tasks. Their willingness to work hard and make maximum use of time has given the Chinese a global reputation of having a stable and industrious work force .They are willing to do more to stay on course and finish their work within the set deadlines. The government’s decision to use Chinese contractors for major projects in the country is informed by their clean record and work ethic among other positive attributes that most local contractor’s lack. The just completed works at Thika superhighway is indeed a wake -up call to local contractors and an opportunity to understand what makes Chinese contractors special and admired all over the world.

Chinese companies have made a lot of headway in the last decade. They have gradually emerged to be the best, most reliable and cost effective. They are among the world’s best in infrastructure and engineering projects. They have successfully bid for World Bank projects and competed globally to emerge tops. Chinese companies are now doing major projects in Africa, Europe, the United States and other continents. They are playing a major role in African development and represent a symbol of Africa’s growth. Local contractors need to learn and make their contribution to our development as well by adapting the hard working culture of the Chinese people and being diligent in their work.

China’s rapid development in the last three decades has been propelled by a dynamic infrastructural development. Kenya’s future will benefit a great deal from China’s lessons and only then will our much envisaged economic take-off be realized. Hard work and diligence are part of the national ethic and consciousness that is vividly reflected in Chinese economy and swift development. For us to reach where China is, we do not need to go to China, but open our eyes to the practical lessons at home and drive our country in the same direction.

Thika Road: Completion of a monument that will symbolize Sino-Kenya ties for many years.

The Nairobi-Thika superhighway is now complete and should be commissioned in three days time. Kenyans have waited patiently and watched with amazement as the once traffic laden dual carriageway transformed into an eight lane superhighway. It’s a two-way six to eight-lane highway attached with side pavements, bicycle lanes, green belt, drainage system, lighting system, road signs and markings, traffic signals, flyovers and underpasses. A look at Thika Superhighway and other roads built by Chinese shows first-class workmanship. The 50.4 km masterwork is spectacular and will remain a permanent monument of the ever improving Sino-Kenya ties. Although several other Chinese companies have undertaken various construction works in Kenya, including the construction of the Moi Sports Center Kasarani, which is a landmark stadium in the country, no other project has brought Chinese construction on the limelight, than the Thika super highway.

The expansion of Thika road, now known as Thika superhighway started about three years ago. The groundbreaking ceremony for the best motorway in East and Central Africa was attended by President Mwai Kibaki in December 2009. There have been delays and challenges owing to the high density of the population, high traffic, underground pipes and drainage networks. Nonetheless, the Chinese companies worked with high efficiency and speed. This road is a great step towards realizing the future dreams of all Kenyans. Challenges associated with traffic snarl-ups and lack of access to markets is now a thing of the past. The road has transformed the landscape in Nairobi and Thika opening up new business opportunities and investments and giving their economies a major boost. It now takes an average of 40 minutes or less to travel between Thika and Nairobi as opposed to 2 hours that it used to take on the same route three years ago; a major boost for traders and industries from both sides as well as workers living and working between the two towns.

The project with the largest amount of investment ever since Kenya’s independence is estimated to have cost around 27 billion Kenya shillings. The African development bank had granted Kenya a loan for the commencement of the project before the Chinese government offered to fund part of the project. The Kenyan government received a concessional loan of 9.44 billion shillings from the Chinese government through the Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM). China, especially in the last ten years, has helped the country finance major infrastructure projects through concession loans and grants and Thika superhighway is the latest landmark in the long friendship between China and Africa. However, it is the aspects that come along with this same project that could lead to stronger relations between the government of Kenya, and that of China. All three companies that were awarded the contracts to construct the three sections of the highway are from china. They include, China Wu Yi Company, Shengli Engineering Construction and Synohydro Corporation Ltd. And the works done so far, have marveled Kenyans and left a lasting impression.

Besides building Thika Road, the three Chinese companies, namely China Wu Yi Company, Sinohydro Corporation Ltd, and Shengli Engineering Construction, have made valuable contributions in various other fields of Kenya’s social and economic development. They have hired over 4000 Kenyan employees for this single project, considerably alleviating local unemployment. They have trained majority of the local technical workers who will later contribute to Kenya’s future development in their own capacity, especially in the infrastructure area. These companies have been actively involved in various activities for public welfare as well. They took part in the local rescue operations and renovation of houses destroyed by rainstorms; they have consistently conducted their social corporate responsibility by donating money, equipments and goods to local organizations and schools. And most impressively, in September 2011, they joined the “Chinese for Kenya – Relief Food to Turkana Program” by donating cash and food and providing manpower and vehicles to transport the relief food to Turkana.

The Influence of China in project development, especially in the Infrastructure sector is worth commendation. A lot has changed since China became Kenya’s Number one and de facto development partner particularly in the infrastructure sector. In recent years，friendship and cooperation between China and Kenya has improved substantially signifying the mutually beneficial cooperation. The fruitful achievement will serve to reinforce their determination and confidence to expand this cooperation.