News of Interest

Here are news items from Accra that might be of interest to you:

Chinese Embassy says over 15,000 visas granted to Ghanaians in the year of 2010. (Ghanaweb)

A Pan-African bank, Ecobank Transnational Inc, will open a China desk next week aimed at easing the flow of Chinese loans for African infrastructure projects. Located in Accra, the desk includes two Ecobank employees and two senior staff from the Bank of China. (Reuters)

The Parliament of Ghana's Minority leader is raising red flags over a loan agreement with a Chinese Bank in regards to oil. (JoyFM)

As China and Ghana signed loan agreement to lend Accra billions of dollars, were Ghanaians told the cost or negative effect of the amounts being sought? (PeaceFM)

China's mining sector to accelerate pace in foreign acquisitions. (YTWHW)

Chinese illegal gold mining in Ghana. (Reuters)

China, No more a Nation riding on Bikes

China is no longer a nation on bikes, can you believe it?

Without seeing it, I can't believe myself. But upon returning from a recent trip, I have no doubt that China is no more riding on bikes.

Just less than two years ago when I was there, the bikes were still everywhere, many of them are electronic bikes. However, even these e-bikes are only occasionally spotted on the streets, most likely on back streets.

Where are these bikes?

One reason is the fast growing car-owning class, who have since retired their bikes and start the four-wheel life. The previous car-owners, such as businessmen, sales or private enterprise managers are also replaced with school teachers, civil servants and other salary earners. Owning a car is no longer a dream, but a reachable goal.

Another reason is the unfriendlier road riding experience. In the past, since most of Chinese ride bikes to work, go shopping, picking and dropping kids and just about any other errands, the bike lines were wide and plenty. However, nowadays, the bike lines, as explained by New Yorker Beijing writer Even Osnos, are getting a facelift. The three classes all have trade offs, and the cyclists have to consider before setting for a ride. Sounds like a hassle?

Last reason, I think, is the culture perception of class. In China, a strong views associating certain things with a profession. Jeans and backpacks? Students. People with white scrubs are either physicians or dentists, (even illegal street corner dentists have to were these). So bicycles are considered as a thing of poor people (painters and day laborers waiting on the street), or poor students. If you have money, why riding a bike?

However, I had no problem riding one around. The fresh air just unbeatable to seating inside a bus. I just wish the bike lines will still be there, for many years to come. Because, with the soaring oil prices and unrest in the Middle East, the bikes may well be coming back in a big way.

(AP photo)

African Perspective of Hu-Obama Meet

While Chinese president Hu Jintao and U.S. president Obama dined and lunched inside the White House, the Africans are watching the leaders of the two biggest economies with high interests.

Recently, Africa has become a new frontier for both the countries, who are eager to win hearts and mind and influence on the largest voting bloc at United Nations. The natural resource rich continent also has the largest untapped reserves that both countries need.

However, the Africa is hardly on the top of the two leaders' agenda at their meetings in Washington. U.S. will be eager to sign orders and create jobs for millions of Americans, and the Chinese want to put a stormy year of bilateral relationship to a safe harbor, at least for now.

As Obama will be on the road again to visit African continent this year, and China will unquestionably send their high level envoys to African capitals as well, just they did in the past, the competition is not over at all, it just started.

Not too long, the collaboration between China and the U.S. in Africa will also become one of the top agendas when Hu and Obama meet.

Where will the $10 billion go?

The recent loan agreement between China and Ghana has generated a lot of interests. The focus, obviously, is on the sheer size, but more importantly, where will the money spent on?

Due to a nature of combination of giant loans and smaller ones, the money maize is not evidently easy to crack. Here is my initial research:

The largest part is $5.9 billion committed by China Export-Import Bank. The money will fund around 19 projects identified between Ghana and China. They include health, agriculture, railway, roads and education sectors. Ghana has the right to propose alternative projects.

$3 billion will be from China Development Bank, which agreed to fund gas commercialization in the Western Ghana Region, including a gas processing plant in Bonyere, to utilize gas discovered at Jubilee and Sankofa oil fields.

At least $262 million will be used for water and sanitation. They include $250 million to support on-gong rehabilitation of Kpong Water Works and $12 million for building boreholes for rural communities and a modern sports complex and Kotokraba Market in Cape Coast.

Additional $20 million interest free loan will be used to construct fish landing sites in coast areas in the Central Region. The Ministry of Industry and Trade Tetteh said the loan comes with 2 percent interest rate and repayable over 20 years.

Ghana President In China, Applauds Brotherhood

The President of Ghana is in China on his state visit to Beijing. As a part of agreements signed by the both sides, China is going to give $10.4 billion loan to help build railway system, energy and water projects.

John Atta Mills have chosen Beijing, instead of going to New York for the UN General Assembly focusing on Millennium Challenge Goals for developing countries. The UNGA is well attended by U.S. President Obama, Chinese Premier Wen and other world leaders.

According to a Ghana News Agency report, the Ghanaian President commended China for maintaining its ties with Ghana "at a time when many nations would not have anything to do with us.""Our Chinese brothers stood behind us and showed that they cared," President Mills said, attracting an applause from the audience.

Another GNA report quoted that President Mills said China has been generous to Ghana, adding: "China points to the way what can be achieved with sacrifice, hard work and discipline."

He said: "if African leaders are flocking to China, they want to see the source of your magic," he said in Shenzhen, the economic hub of China's Guandong Province on the fourth day of his five- day state visit to China.

Chinese Crew Arrested in Ghana

The biggest news of today is Ghana newspaper Daily Graphic with front-page headline:
Cruelty on high seas as Chinese vessel captain drowns 3 Ivorians

The story takes most of the front page, with large photos showing the ship MV Run Ning 3, another photo shows that one of Ivorians is angrily making a point with a Chinese crew member, and a group of Chinese crews, all wearing their safety hats.

According to BBC News, the ship has been detained by Ghana Navy and three Chinese have been arrested by Ghana Police.

The incident was initiated by the Chinese ship operators decided to throw three Ivorian throwaways into the occean, causing one of them drowened and other two were rescued.

The online story has stirred up a dozen or so comments from readers. One reader asked, " if you find a stranger in your car, that means you should kill him, right? How barbaric can we be in this 21st century. Another reader who claim to have been in China, said " it is pathetic how they (Chinese) disregard we blacks."

Chinese Medical Doctor Stuck in Ghana

A doctor with a team of medical doctors from Guangzhou, China is now stuck in Accra, Ghana.

The 11 member team, including Dr. Song, a psychiatrist, were sent to Ghana in early this year to help out in medical training. With a lot of patience, other specialists have already started helping out in a hospital, Dr. Song, however, is still waiting for assignment.

According to Dr. Song's blog, written in Chinese, the team had encountered several obstacles since arrived in Accra. First, there are only two teaching hospitals in Ghana, one is in Accra, Korle Bu and one is in Kumasi, which is 4-6 hours driving distance away. The Kumasi one is also less equipped than Korle Bu. However, the hospital president has little to assign to a Chinese psychiatrist, for now.

Dr. Song wrote that the team had also hard to adjust to the always daily power outage and water shortage, when the power is out, the team of 11 mid-aged men, not a single female, had to wonder outside in a small court yard to fend off the sizzling heat amid the hay days of a dry season in Accra.

Another difficult is the high cost of living. Except certain seafoods and tropic fruits, vegetables are extremely high compared to these in China. For example, two lettuce could cost a dollar or five RMB yuans. To Chinese, vegatables are vital to dialy diet.

The most difficult thing is the slow pace and back and forth it takes to accomplish a smallest task. For example, it took them four car trips to make copies of keys. Dr. song said that it always made him a little headache and retard.

Six Keys to Working Effectively with Chinese

Here in Ghana, people are not afraid of showing their affections towards a person from a different cultural background, the so-called Oburoni. As the country enjoys decade long stable democracy and inflow of foreign aid and investment, it embraces more Oburonis, especially many Chinese who come to work or do business.

The other day, I was told that a Chinese businesswoman had a quarrel with her Ghanaian business partner. The Ghanaian complained that the Chinese was disrespectful and yelling at people and the Chinese said she was simply trying to explain the situation.

As a cross-culture trainer, I think that, “Conflict is not always a personal clash, but a clash in value and perception.” When working with people from different cultural backgrounds, preservation is everything.

To overcome cultural bias and stereotypes, I created a simple model to work with clients, the model of UNIQUE. It stands for:

Understand, before being understood.

No Presumption. Even with good intention

Inquire. ASK

Quote back and confirm

Use humor

Empathy

To elaborate the model, I developed the following six keys to guide you through the maze of working with Chinese:

1. Understand what the Chinese culture values:

· Trust

· Face and Harmony

· Long term relationships -- “guanxi”

· Reciprocity: mutually beneficial

· Loyalty. An old Chinese saying goes like this, “Dogs don’t leave poor owners; You don’t complain about your mom’s looks”

· Achievement: Fame and Profit. There are five criteria to judge the success of a Chinese man: Money, House, Wife, Son, and Car.

2. Identify characters of Chinese people:

· Pragmatism, “whatever works”

· Materialism, Money is God

· Relationship oriented, network is the way to success. Who you know is more important than what you know

· Distinguish between an insider and an outsider. Foreigners are called “lao wai” (“senior outsider”)

· Collectivist culture

· Hard working: save hard for rainy days

3. Pay attention to Chinese cultural aspects:

· Hierarchy, highly structured and everyone aware of own position

· Respect and obey the old and superiors

· Privacy is still an imported luxury, and people are inquisitive

· Education is the way to get better future

· Too flexible, “rules are set to break”

4. Communicate with Chinese:

Chinese communication style: High Context Culture

· Indirect way of communication. From A to C then B

· Informal environment is preferred

· Non-verbal communication, use a lot of body language

· Volume: speak loud, you can’t tell whether it is a talk or a quarrel

· Don’t listen well, presume

· Tolerance for ambiguity

· Avoid saying NO. Thousand ways of saying No, without actually saying it

· No is also a Yes………with a little work

5. Respect Face Factor

• Face (mianzi, pride) needs to be saved by all means. No face, no pride. Everyone needs to look good

• Harmony is maintained to keep a long term relationship

• Due to a rapid economic growth, Chinese are particularly proud of themselves

• Saving face is universally applicable. Chinese are who they are, not where they are.

6. Seek Common Ground

• Make an effort and show your understanding for the culture and the values. Appreciate what Chinese culture has to offer. Biggest complaint – “Foreigners don’t understand China”

• Seek things of common interests, not you vs. us

• Be prepare to read between the lines, understand nuance and body language

• Be humble and persistent

• Listen well. Ask a lot of good questions, then listen.

Finally, Use humor:

Chinese have a natural inclination to be afraid of black people. Why?

They think you are taller and know better Kung Fu

You are welcome to quote freely from this article once you give proper attribution. (A link to letterfromghana.blogspot.com and author: Brian Yang would be appreciated.) You are also welcome to republish this article in full once you give the proper attribution .

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China is ranked same as Ghana in QOL

International Living has unveiled their newest ranking of countries in terms of quality of living. Both China and Ghana were scored at 54. The countries scored the same include Peru, Paula, Cuba, Lebanon, Jordan and Kiribati.

China's score is severely dragged down by the poor scoring of freedom, which is only 8, the only countries scored lower are Cuba, North Korea, Libya, Uzbekistan and Myanmar.

France tops the list with a score of 80 and Somali and Sudan are listed at the bottom with 32 and 34.

U.S. Airliner Bombing Suspect Bought Ticket In Ghana

The suspected bomber of Northwest Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit bought his KLM ticket 10 days ago before he carried out the attack. On Dec. 16, he purchased the ticket from a sales office in Accra, the capital of Ghana. He is now facing charges in the U.S.


How bad is corruption in Africa? Ghanaian President John Atta Mills refused to accept Christmas gifts from people for fear that will be considered as bribery. Even such gift-giving customs, so called hampers, are common practice in Ghana. (ireportGhana News)


Could a execution of a Briton heroin carrier by China cause a Sino-UK relationship to sour? Both sides have no softening their tones and the emotional side of the story will certainly stir up a lot of black eyes towards China and its legal system in Britain. (Reuters)

items of Interest

China, Ghana explore new ways to further collaboration. The Chinese ambassador Yu Wenzhe told an audience in Accra, Ghana. (GBN News)


Obama handpicked Nanfang Zhoumo (Southern Weekend) for only interview with a Chinese media while he visited Beijing last month, and now the top editor of Southern Weekend had been punished for that. You bet some one in top is not happy about it. (Reuters)


Thiland finds a plane full of weapons from North Korea en route to a third country. (Reuters)


After 10 year hilatus, China, two Koreas and the U.S. will start new round of Peack Talks. (Reuters)
Is North Korea desperate or a gesture for liver branch in the year of soccer world cup where North Korea will be a part of after decade of absense?


Fake receipts are creating huge problems and posign grave threats to Chinese economy. (TBS News)


A rule of 30 day advance notice was broken when Chinese vice president Xi Jinping wanted to pay a visit to Japanese Emperior, and Hatoyama administration pressed the office of Emperior to receive Mr. Xi. Should the rule be bent for the Chinese? A debate is on in Tokyo. (TBS)


Hatoyama's right hand man Ozawa took a 600-puls delegate visited Beijing. With or without a 30 day notice, Hu Jintao sit down with Ozawa and the two shared plenty of plesantries. (TBS)


The U.S. and Japan agree to open each other's sky. (TBS)


Still want more Maguro (raw Salmon fish filet famous for making shushi), it may not be there tomorrow. Japan signs the first international treaty to limit the fishing of Maguro in Pacific occean. (TBS)

Chinese to Topple Exxon Deal For Ghana Oil

Just days after a $4billion deal announced between oil giant Exxon Mobil and Kosmos, to explore newly found oil field off Ghana coast in Gulf of Guinea, a Chinese company CNOOC wants to overbid the deal, the same company had to withdrew a bid for U.S. oil company three years ago due to mounting political uproars from Washington. ( Ghana Business News)


Not only in Ghana, China is also pushing for resources in nearby Guinea, where a crashdown on anti-government rally had result in over 150 deaths and intense international condemation. (Finanal Times)


Fake or substandard drugs are not new and they are the rule here in Africa. Now former French president Chirac wants international attention to address the issue. (FT)


A bribery trial involving a UK company revealed a dark and corrupt past in Ghana. (AllAfrica)


Mobile phones are everywhere in African cities such as Accra, now they are increasingly popular in rural areas as well. (New York Times)

China To Buy 36,000 Tons of Plam Oil From Ghana

Chinese company signed a deal with Ghana to buy 36,000 tons of palm oil, and promise to purchase more if Ghana can produce. The quantity is one eighth of the nation's annul produce of 243,000 tons.

Most palm oil producers in Ghana are small, and the deal is promoted by both parties to create more jobs for the local communities.

The deal, however, also includes a provision that China will also export rice and sugar to complement what was produced locally.