China-Africa: FG tasks Chinese Government on counterfeiting
THE Federal Government has called on the Chinese Government to help Nigeria put a total stop to the counterfeiting of some branded Nigerian textile products allegedly being produced in China.
The government has also urged the Chinese Government to grant Nigeria zero tariffs that is being offered the least developed economic nations in Africa. “We may not fall into that category but at the same time, judging by the amount of trade we are doing with you especially imports coming in from China, we will a`lso like you to extend that zero tariff to Nigeria,” the government said.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja when the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Xu Jianguo visited him in his office, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Chief Achike Udenwa said: “It has been discovered that the counterfeit products which are substandard compared to its Nigerian original, are printed mostly in China then brought back into the country and sold at a relatively cheaper price than the ones produced in the country.”
Udenwa who noted that the issue has been investigated and found to be further compounding the problem associated with the ailing textile industry in the country, said, “they take our own textile brands and fake them, then bring them illegally into Nigeria. We will like you to investigate this and please if it is found to be correct, let’s try and address it because it is killing our own local industries here.”
According to him, what is actually required now by Nigeria is legal trade which will be guided by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) principles, just as he warned that the Chinese Government must ensure that their goods coming into Nigeria were of good quality.
In his remarks, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Xu Jianguo who noted that the Chinese Government can never encourage the illegal act of counterfeiting Nigerian branded textiles, stressed that there was the need for both countries to cooperate if the act must stop.
According to him, “We need to cooperate because the act does not only involve illegal businessmen from but also illegal businessmen from Nigeria. We should do our best and I sincerely believe that if we cooperate more closely, we can solve the problem.”
The envoy who explained that the problem of trade between Nigeria and China was imbalance, said that the trade policy of his country is mutual which ensures a “win-win” situation, adding: “Our government encourages Chinese companies to directly invest in Nigeria for them to help Nigeria improve its manufacturing ability. By so doing, you can export and I believe that this is very important and it can solve the problem of imbalance.”
(vanguardngr.com)
Tags: Nigeria