The Minister for Foreign Trade of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Jean-Lucien Bussa Tongba, gave an exclusive interview to Xinhua before going to China to take part in the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Fair.
Jean-Lucien Bussa Tongba said that the exhibition represented great opportunities for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which considers China to be a “privileged” and “strategic” partner.
As one of the guest countries of honor at this exhibition, which runs from 29th June to 2nd July in Changsha, the DRC attaches great importance to it, Mr. Bussa Tongba said, adding that it was a great opportunity for the DRC, which is an important partner for China.
In the same context, the Congolese minister pointed out that the event is being held shortly after the “historic” state visit to China by President Félix Tshisekedi, during which the heads of state of the two countries decided to elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation.
For Mr. Bussa Tongba, the exhibition is an important platform for showcasing the DRC’s growing business opportunities and improving its business climate for Chinese investors, who are already visible in the Congolese economy.
China has been the DRC’s largest trading partner and source of foreign investment for many consecutive years. In 2022, the volume of bilateral trade reached 21.898 billion dollars, an increase of 51.7% year-on-year.
Mr. Bussa Tongba also stressed that China could play a vital role in diversifying the DRC’s economy, a vision for the Congolese government that serves the interests of everyone, including Chinese investors.
Mr. Bussa Tongba also pointed out that “the government of the DRC has approved a priority policy for the diversification of its economy, and these are the priorities that I am going to present to Chinese investors”, he explained, adding that a diversified Congolese economy “responds to the internal priorities of the DRC, to the needs of the world market and certainly to the needs of Chinese investors”.
“The DRC, which is in the process of developing, should learn from China’s experience in the field of economic development”, noted the Congolese minister. Mr. Bussa Tongba has a keen interest in China.