CHINA-DDICTION...TRADING WITH CHINA(2)

LEARNING AND EVOLVING

(A continuation of AfriqAsia Merge`s interview with Auntie Emma, a Ghanaian trader and shop owner at the Makola shopping Mall who shares her experiences and opinion on Ghana-China trade.)

AfriqAsia Merge : In your opinion, what are the differences between the Ghanaian way of doing business and the way the Chinese go about their business ?

Trader :  Well, In Ghana as you know, you come to my shop, i sell to you the items you need, but in China, you have to place an order. Even if you`re buying 50 cartons of a certain item, you first place an order before they get those items made for you.

Secondly, we are very well received over there. When you arrive in the morning, you`re served tea coffee or any beverage you prefer, in some shops there are fruit stands, with confectionery for all who enter the shop. All this makes us feel at home.

AfriqAsia Merge : So, another question is, why China? As in , have you not been told of any other place where you could get  these stuff from? If yes, then what is it that makes you prefer China?

Trader : That is true..we`ve heard that Indian companies also produce some of these items but personally, i`ve never been there so i can`t tell...but generally, comparing Indian manufactured earrings for instance to Chinese ones , we find the Indian ones somehow of  better quality than the ones made in China..

AfriqAsia : And the majority of the traders here also deal in items imported from China?

Trader : Yes, most of them.

AfriqAsia Merge :And how is the customer response...

Trader : ...They like it... yes, i could say  because it`s cheap, they like it. The China goods may not be of the best quality as i said earlier, even with the earrings some easily get  broken, but when the customers come, they still prefer the made in China ones because they can afford it.

But i must mention that also in China, there are companies that produce high quality items. But those items are expensive so if you bring those goods here, you`ll not  make any  profit. So if we`re buying for our own use or for the family, fine,  but not to come and sell. It`s too expensive.

AfriqAsia Merge :Do you make good profit?

Trader : (Laughing) .. somehow.. :  due to the payment of duties and so on, i say somehow...

AfriqAsia Merge : Is there anything that could be done to improve the conditions of trade ?

Trader : Yes,. At first we did not use to hassle so much for a visa to go to China to order our wares, but now, the situation is  different. During my first three years of trading, it was a simple process, you could even stay in your shop, and the trading agent would work on it , but now before you get a visa, you even need an invite from the Chinese partner, you apply for the visa on your own, and so on...It`s hectic.

AfriqAsia Merge: How does the future look, in your opinion, with respect to Ghana China relations, particularly in trade?

Trader: Well, as we are speaking, if i should tell you, some of the Chinese traders and manufacturers have opened up their own shops right here in Ghana. And in those shops, they retail the goods in smaller quantities, they even sell some in singles not in a packet, you see? but generally, i mean the typical Chinese shops were always known to sell goods in bulk for petty traders to go and sell but it is no longer so..so in fact if we are not careful, and we do not plan carefully, the same Chinese partners we deal with in China will come and establish shops here and take over the Ghanaian trade and market...It is very worrying..you can buy it from them in bulk, thinking you`re coming to sell for profit, by the time you realize, some of them are also selling the same items with you on the market, and because they manufacture the goods in their country they have the upper hand, even in terms of the prices, theirs tend to be cheaper.

AfriqAsia Merge :   So, do you know of any Ghanaian in China who engages in any business activities?

Trader : Well i have not seen any Ghanaian who owns a shop in China or who really trades inside of China. I was told they were not really interested. For instance my shop is like a family business, i run it together with my husband and kids, but in China no Ghanaian does that. I once met some Ghanaian guys but  they said they were all there for studies.  One Ghanaian also said he was an English teacher to some Chinese kids. In some restaurant i went to, there was a young lady there who managed the place. It was after she spoke to us in Twi, that we realized she was Ghanaian, because she`s learned the Chinese language well, and can speak English fluently,  she`s been hired to manage the place...but the actual owner is a Chinese.

AfriqAsia Merge: So, as Ghanaians is there anything we could learn from the Chinese?

Trader:  We as Ghanaians can learn a lot from China. We have to learn from their industrious nature. Ghana should also learn to open factories.  As much as possible, we have to try and invest in manufacturing, so that we can also produce as much as possible, so that it can create jobs for the people

Note: This interview was originally conducted in Twi and translated into English. All of the contents and ideas are strictly retained.

AfriqAsia Merge....

                              ..... bridging the gap 

                                                      ....embracing the difference...

                                                                   

CHINA-DDICTION...TRADING WITH CHINA (1)

On 15th October, AfriqAsia Merge took a trip to the Makola shopping Mall, where we got to interview Auntie Emma, a Shop owner whose trade takes her on frequent  trips to China...
What does trade with China really entail ?.... Let`s Find out...

AfriqAsia Merge:     Mama please tell us about yourself        and a bit about what you do. 

  

Trader:    My name is Auntie Emma, I trade in China goods, we go and buy from there and we come and sell.

AfriqAsia Merge : Do you have any kids?
Trader: I have four kids. Two boys and two girls.

AfriqAsia Merge : And where is your shop situated?

Trader : Accra Shopping Mall.

AfriqAsia Merge : How long has it been since you started trading with China.?

Trader : It`s been about 4 to 5 years…

AfriqAsia Merge: And who introduced you to this kind of trade with China?

Trader : A friend  of mine  took me there for the first time, and introduced me to some of the Chinese traders there.

AfriqAsia Merge: How was your first experience like?

Trader : Well  that was my first trip and first attempt, and  the stuff I brought were not  as patronized as I expected it to be.

AfriqAsia Merge : What kind of stuff did you import on your first visit to China?

Trader : Stuff like earrings, but unfortunately, up till now, I still have some of those earrings from the first trip, but now I have become more conversant with the demands of the trade so when I bring the stuff it is well patronized.

AfriqAsia Merge : Do you take just the earrings or do you sometimes add other items?

Trader: Earrings, chains, bangles, and other stuff…Sometimes I  take             other items  depending on how business is going…so when I go, I pick other items that I feel may do well on the market.

AfriqAsia Merge: So, how often do you go to China?

Trader: That really depends on how well the items sell on the market. But say in a year, I may go to China like twice or three times for trade items.

                                                                                                          

AfriqAsia Merge: Please explain to us a bit, how is it like when you get there? Where do you lodge? Who shows you around? Do you have Chinese friends who help you out?...

Trader: When we go, we lodge in a hotel. We have agents, who are Chinese and they are the ones who take us to the market because we do not understand their language. So, the agents take us to the market to look around, It`s a very vast area. The agents   are the ones who help in introducing us to the Chinese traders and shop owners, and as we go we have samples that we show to them, so the one that the factories can make for us, they make it for us. The ones that they are not able to make for us, we go elsewhere to look for them.

AfriqAsia Merge : So, talking about the Chinese, you mentioned that you did not understand the language, so how do you really manage in terms of communication?

Trader :Well, it`s true that not all of them understand the English language but there are also some who can communicate quite well in English. So, those ones who are quite fluent in English take us through the trading process.  So when we enter the shops and express what we need in English, they convey it to the Chinese traders on our behalf.

AfriqAsia Merge : So does the language barrier impede or affect the trade process in any way?

Trader: Yes. Sometimes, there are mistakes. The translator may not convey the message accurately, so by the time the items arrive, we discover that they are not exactly what we requested.

AfriqAsia merge : So do you have any desire to study the Chinese language?

Trader : Oh yes, we would love to. It`s just that we feel that age and time is not on our side. But also, the Chinese traders themselves have realized that most of us speak English so they have encouraged their kids to learn English so they serve as the intermediaries. It is not common though, this can only be observed in a  few shops but it shows how determined they are to communicate with us.

AfriqAsia  Merge : Then we also have to sit up and try and learn the Chinese language. At least, a few words will help to communicate better…

Trader :  Yes, indeed, we know a few words in Chinese,

AfriqAsia Merge : Can you mention a few of those words to us..?

Trader :(Laughing).. I could… I could…but,  (laughing)...

AfriqAsia Merge : So, apart from the language, what are the other challenges or difficulties you sometimes face when you go to China to trade.?

Trader : Well, when we arrive, we go to a place called “YU”, they refer to it as a village but I see the place to be well advanced .Unlike Guangzhou which is a city, where many  Chinese understand English, most of the people in "Yu"  cannot communicate in English and sometimes even when you approach someone for a little help or direction, he may ignore you due to the language barrier. Some also avoid you, which some foreigners may interpret as fear or insecurity but sometimes its all due to the language barrier. 

AfriqAsia Merge: Alright. ..And are there any issues when it comes to transportation of goods to Ghana?

Trader: Oh that`s not really a problem. When we place the order, we lodge in a hotel for one or two weeks. When it’s ready, you go to the Warehouse for your wares. The only place where we face problems is at the Tema Harbour in Ghana, when the goods arrive. They make too many demands before releasing the items. But in all, after the goods are sent from China, we receive them after a month.

AfriqAsia Merge: So, do you have personal relations with any of the Chinese, as in Chinese friends, outside trading partners?

Trader: I don`t really have any Chinese friends apart from the agent who takes me round. But i must say it`s been five years since i started trading with these Chinese companies so most of them regard me as a regular business partner and they really give me a warm reception when i go there.....(To be contd....)

 Note: This interview was originally conducted in Twi, and translated into English. All of the content and ideas are strictly retained.

AfriqAsia Merge....

                               bridging the gap...embracing the difference..

SMELL THE BOOKS... SMELL THE ROSES !!!

  On the 29th of September 2013, Ignatius Suglo, shared his academic experience in China with  AfriqAsia Merge. The observations recounted below were made during his one year academic trip to China.

AfriqAsia Merge : Can you briefly introduce yourself?

Student : My name is Ignatius Suglo. I`m in level 400 now in the University of Ghana. I actually started studying Chinese about 5 years ago. Now I'm combining Chinese with English. I`m Ghanaian, from the Northern part of Ghana.

AfriqAsia Merge : Tell us a bit about the China year abroad. What were some of the basic information you had about the trip.

 

Student : Well i think with the trip, the sponsorship came from the government of Ghana. Our host University absolved part of the fees. They gave us a partial fee waiver and the government of Ghana Scholarship secretariat absolved the rest.

AfriqAsia Merge: How many were you?

Student :We were 12 in all.

AfriqAsia Merge: And were you the first batch to benefit from this initiative?

Student : Yes.

AfriqAsia Merge :  Was it your first time traveling?

Student : No. Actually, the previous semester, I was in Germany for an exchange program with the English department. When i came back, a little over one week we were asked to leave for China too...

AfriqAsia Merge :  Did you feel any difference when you moved to China?

Student : I must say the difference was actually vast...I remember at some point i had to take some time off to adjust...Apart from the environment and everything, culturally it was so different.

AfriqAsia Merge : How? 

  Student :....In China life is perceived as some kind of race, like everything moves so quickly, so fast...like everybody is rushing everywhere. Everybody is working till late in the night and everybody is stressing himself to work more just to get themselves a better life....

In China people go to work on holidays, even if there`s a holiday you`ll have to go to class on the weekend to make up for it...that was one great difference i couldn`t come to terms with.

AfriqAsia Merge :So, with respect to the Coursework and  the educational environment, what were some of the observations you made?

Student:  I would say there was some difference in the system of education.  On my part, because we went there to study Chinese, i think that was the best environment that one could  have had for such a purpose. The lecturers were good, they did all they could to help us understand anything  and they were really serious with what they were doing...

One of the observations i made about their educational system comparing it to what i have been exposed to in Ghana, i would say, China`s educational system is more of a memory test. You really have to know exactly what is written in a book and well, they call it "Bei". They`ll even use the word..."Bei"...and this can be translated to mean "memorize". Now there`s been a little linguistic twist to it, where they try to say that o.k., it means "learn", "read", "understand", but then the word simply means "to memorize", and that`s exactly what they do.

So, it`s like well, this is a book you`re reading for the course and people are able to memorize the whole book and so when they are reproducing it, its word for word. So that's why it might be perceived that the Chinese are the best students in the world, because they are able to pass as many exams as possible or more exams than anybody else.

So, i had a problem with that. Even in the classroom, at a point I had to tell the lecturers to understand that, well if you want me to retell  the idea to you, i can do it perfectly without a mistake, but if you want me to use the same wording that was in the book, that might be very difficult....

AfriqAsia Merge :Were the Ghanaians put together in one class?

Student: Actually there were people from the middle East, America, and other places also.

AriqAsia Merge:  China is well advanced in technology. Is there anything that you think could help

 in the Ghanaian educational system if adopted?

Student :Yes. You know we have these social media we use, "WhatsApp" and so on. Mainly, we use it to communicate with friends, family...but they use it for other stuff. They  have one medium they call "kiwkiw". They put lecture notes there...you go there and download and read, that`s it!! You don`t have to be carrying books around or just use Facebook for sending pictures... 

AfriqAsia Merge : What impact has China had on you? What have you brought back?

Student : Being in China for one year has broadened my outlook. I really feel like a better person. All that i need to do is make use of what I learned...

AfriqAsia Merge: How do you see Ghana -China relations in the future?

Student : I think that in the near future, the bond should be stronger than it is now and in the near future, we should be expecting like a big boost. We hope that with all these collaborations, Ghanaians will seek to learn something, like how to get about solving some simple problems so we can move ahead.

 I hope Ghanaians will also emulate  that spirit of humanity and human value in the Chinese and pick it up. I also hope that there`ll be many more people in Ghana who`ll try to succeed without counting the cost. In Ghana we like to say "O.k. let`s leave it to God" etc., but that doesn`t always help.