There are two major Chinese ICT companies operating in Rwanda: ZTE and Huawei. The two companies with a reputable international status have sought partnership with Rwanda to assemble affordable mobile handsets and tracking communication gadgets.

Today, they are rolling out infrastructure, mainly partnering with existing telecom operators to change the landscape of telecommunication in this country.

This week, when Chinese vice Foreign Minister in charge of African Affairs Zhai Jun, visited the country Rwanda showed his delegation on-going projects like the Conventional Centre, the Great Lakes
Railway project and the Bugesera International Airport and invited Chinese companies to invest in these lucrative ventures.

Zhai Jun said that China would continue to provide help within the realm of Rwanda’s economic and social development and promised that his government would encourage more Chinese investors to seek business opportunities in Rwanda.

China has already made an economic commitment to Africa of implementing a zero-tariff up to 95 percent of products from least developed African countries which have diplomatic ties with Beijing,

starting with 60 percent of the products within 2010.
In Rwanda, China has granted a zero-tariff package known as ‘Special Preferential Tariff Treatment’ for over 44 export items. Rwanda was also recently granted the ‘Approved Destination Status’ which gives green light and an encouragement to Chinese people to visit Rwanda as tourists.

The Rwandan private sector, therefore, should take advantage of the commitments the Chinese government has presented so far.

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