Translation Tuesday: A Chinese Farmer’s Story of Wasteland Reclamation in Africa

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Xu Wenting, Wang Bo
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 05/03/2015
Source: Xinhua News
Original text (in Chinese): http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2015-05/03/c_1115160424.htm

As the saying goes “Chinese people will never change their Chinese stomach”. Chinese people in Africa are always looking for better Chinese culinary ingredients, and Chinese farmers are lookign to tap into that market.
----Laiyin Yuan (Translator)

For Cao Huizhong, a Chinese vegetable grower living in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo [DRC], the first thing after getting up every morning is to take a look at his Chinese cabbages in the field. Row upon row of green leaves growing on the land, his cabbages are slightly different from their Chinese relatives: bigger leaves but thinner bodies. This is his tenth crop of experimental Chinese cabbages.

“It is not ideal, but they finally look like Chinese cabbages. We should keep improving the process,” he said.

Translation Tuesday: Despite considerable Chinese aid, why do not Africans appreciate China?

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Shang Xi
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 04/03/2015
Source: Southern Metropolis Daily (SMD)
Original text (in Chinese): http://epaper.oeeee.com/epaper/A/html/2015-04/03/node_2748.htm

This article is a trenchant diagnosis of the underlying problems in Sino-Africa economic relations. During the recent Third Africa-China Young Leaders Forum, the Deputy Secretary General of the China Foundation for Peace and Development suggested that the Chinese government and companies should rethink how they do business in Africa. More local efforts should also be encouraged in order to enhance people-to-people exchanges between both sides. It is a useful introspection for the Chinese to find a way to “clear its name” in African countries.
---- Laiyin Yuan (translator)

China has been providing aid for thousands of projects in Africa. In addition to famous ones such as Ethiopia’s African Union Conference Center, Tanzania’s Nyerere Conference Center, and Mozambique’s National Stadium, there are also a large amount of highways, railways, airports, hospitals, schools, etc.

However, with more and more Chinese people moving to Africa, conflicts between them and locals are intensifying. On the eve of the Third Africa-China Young Leaders Forum, a Chinese restaurant in Kenya provoked widespread condemnation because it barred local Kenyans from entering after 5:00 pm (read more here - Laiyin).

During this forum, the China Foundation for Peace and Development (CFPD) held a dialogue focusing on “People-to-People Exchange and Sino-African Relations.” Ji Ping, CFPD’s Deputy Secretary General, created a new word “Afrina” combining “Africa” and “China” in his speech, hoping the two sides can truly understand each other on a non-governmental level.

“Now the most important thing in Sino-African relations is people-to-people exchange, and everyone has responsibility in it,” said Ji Ping during an exclusive interview with our reporter after the forum. China’s aid in Africa should “break the whole into parts” and penetrate into the African grassroots.

Translation Tuesday: China's Peacekeepers in Mali: Bringing the “Lei Feng Spirit” to West Africa

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Bai Yuntian, Li Xianghui
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 03/04/2015
Source: China National Radio (CNR) Military
Original text (in Chinese): http://military.cnr.cn/zgjq/20150304/t20150304_517879269.html

Lei Feng, an ordinary Chinese soldier in the People's Liberation Army, was the Chinese model of altruism and modesty due to his good deeds and selfless contribution to the people. Now, Chinese soldiers are bringing the "spirit of Lei Feng" to West Africa.
---- Laiyin Yuan (Translator)

Photo 1: China’s second batch of peacekeeping troops in Mali are showing the locals how to read the blueprints of prefabricated homes/Photo: Bai Yuntian

“We are able to live in these cozy prefabricated homes thanks to your generous help,” said Ayette (transliteration from Chinese – Laiyin), a Malian, to the Chinese peacekeepers lending a helping hand in Gao Super Camp on the morning of March 4. Recently, the soldiers of China’s second peacekeeping troops were "learning from Lei Feng, to help people, to sow friendship," and to promote the Lei Feng spirit widely in West Africa.

Shortly after Spring Festival, the peacekeepers were dispatched to Gao Super Camp for prefab house construction without any “post-holiday recovery.”

Orlando, the United Nations’ Mali Mission officer who supervised the Super Camp, introduced that “the process of prefab house construction by 17 Malian employees on this site has been very slow due to the limitations in technology and skills. It has been more than a half month since they stationed in the Super Camp, but they are still living in thatched huts now.”

Translation Tuesday: Chinese in South Africa Gradually Entering the Local Mainstream Sectors

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Song Fangcan
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 03/05/2015
Source: Chinese News Service (CNS)
Original text (in Chinese): http://www.chinanews.com/m/gj/2015/03-05/7101911.shtml

The new generation of Chinese immigrants in South Africa is quite different from their predecessors. With better education, more ambition, and international vision, they are breaking the old stereotypes of overseas Chinese as ill-mannered or cheap laborers. This new generation is laying a solid foundation for their future as well as the future of other overseas Chinese.
---- Laiyin Yuan (Translator)

Having no knowledge of English; preferring to carry cash; loving abalone, ivory, and rhinoceros horn; and only spending time with their own small social circles… these are all stereotypes that some South Africans have for the local Chinese population. However, with the arrival of many new immigrants from mainland China and the rise of local Chinese South Africans, more and more Chinese are integrating into South African society and entering major industries in the.

“Today will be the beginning of your brand new life as an attorney,” said to He Hai (Jacky), a Shanghai-born Chinese, by Judge Ismael [transliteration from Chinese – Laiyin] of the South Africa Supreme Court on March 3. On this very day, He Hai successfully passed the South African attorney bar examination and took an oath to become an attorney. He is also believed to be the first mainland-born Chinese to pass the bar in South Africa.

Translation Tuesday: Chinese Medical Personnel in Africa: Unceasing Fights against Ebola during the Spring Festival

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Shao Siyi
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 02/19/2015
Source: Chinese News Service (CNS)
Original text (in Chinese): http://www.chinanews.com/sh/2015/02-19/7073406.shtml

Do not forget those who who are working hard while we enjoyed ourselves celebrating Chinese New Year. A prosperous and auspicious Year of Sheep to Chinese medical personnel working in Africa!

---- Laiyin Yuan (Translator) 

On February 19 at 3:00 am, when China had already greeted the first day of the Lunar Year of Sheep, Sierra Leone, which is eight hours behind China, was still waiting for the Chinese New Year. After a busy day, Chinese medical team members finally had the chance to celebrate the New Year with some rest, dumplings, and parties. During this all-too-limited leisure time, Xu Feng, the Deputy Director of the Infectious Diseases Department of the Zhejiang University Second Affiliated Hospital (ZUSAH), had a WeChat video call with his family to send his New Year greetings.

Translation Tuesday: Chinese High-Speed Rail: Go Overseas and Share the Benefits with the World

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Qi Zhongxi, Fan Xi, Liu Shiping, Su Xiaozhou, Chu Xiaoliang, Yang Jian, Wu Hao
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 01/26/2015
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Original text (in Chinese): http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2015-01/26/c_1114135389.htm

From the “promotion” of Chinese leaders during overseas visits to business development, Chinese high-speed rail (HSR) is accelerating “going overseas.” The cooperation between Chinese HSR and foreign companies can not only build more advanced transportation facilities but also bring the benefits of HSR to various countries around the world.

“Now I have dozes of overseas projects to follow up simultaneously, including Laos, Thailand, the U.S., Russia, Hungary-Serbia, Morocco, etc. while also tracking an HSR project in India,” said Chen Juemin, Director of China Railway Corporation’s International Cooperation Department.

In Asia and the surrounding region, China is planning to build a major corridor throughout Southeast Asia reaching Malaysia and Singapore in order to serve the “One Belt, One Road” strategy, as well as HSRs bridging Central Asia and Europe in the Silk Road Economic Belt. In Africa, China’s “steel dragon” will link together multiple countries. In Europe, Chinese railway companies have just started to reveal their excellence. In America, Chinese HSR projects are expected to breakthrough in their contract bidding.

Translation Tuesday: Op-Ed: Don’t Forget Africa in Anti-Terrorism

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Chen Junxia
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 01/14/2015
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Original text (in Chinese): http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2015-01/14/c_1113996130.htm

This op-ed points out the potential negative outcome of imbalanced media coverage regarding Africa’s anti-terrorism, but it seems to blame only developed countries without interrogating the responsibilities of other stakeholders.
---- Laiyin Yuan (Translator)

In the beginning of the New Year, the terrorist attacks in Paris, France caught major attention from Western media, which not only allowed the world to sympathize and ruminate on this tragedy, but also left an extraordinary impression of the reporting capabilities of Western media.

Translation Tuesday: Chinese Civil Airport Construction Accelerating in Africa

By Laiyin Yuan

Author: Qian Chunxian
Translator: Laiyin Yuan
Published on: 12/07/2014
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Original text (in Chinese): http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-12/07/c_1113550648.htm

There is a Chinese saying: “if you want to get rich, build roads first.” Now, roads can also refer to airways, which are becoming increasingly important in the overall economic development of African countries. Chinese companies are undertaking many oversea airport construction projects, which will hopefully bring result in a true "win-win" outcome.
----Laiyin Yuan (Translator)

With the New Year looming, China's large-scale civil infrastructure construction strategy is focusing strong development initiatives through the idea of “stabilizing growth with airport construction.” On November 28, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced the approval notices for four infrastructure construction projects, including three new railway projects, such as the Beijing-Zhangjiakou railway's Badaling section, as well as the second phase of Lanzhou Airport expansion project. These projects' total investment  reached 51.01 billion yuan ($8.29 billion dollars).

Li Jiaxiang, the Director of the China Civil Aviation Administration, stated that the civil aviation industry could be rapidly incorporated into the regional economic and social development strategy, because it requires fewer investments but has quicker effects and better ability to drive overall development. According to World Trade Organization (WTO) statistics, civil aviation currently accounts for about 15% of total global transportation, but its added value can account for nearly 50% of the global total.