China-Africa Cooperation: African entrepreneurs learning from China's e-commerce sector

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03:12

Both countries are looking to the future. And with much of China going cashless - it's inspiring industries. A group of African entrepreneurs are studying China's booming e-commerce industry, hoping its success can be brought back to their home countries. Wu Lei has the story.

For many of these 29 African entrepreneurs, it's not their first time in China.

But using only mobile phones to live a cash-free life is a very new and exciting experience. Cedric Atangana runs an online payment infrastructure company in Cameroon. He says this program is very helpful for his growing mobile payment business in Africa.

CEDRIC ATANGANA CEO, WE CASH UP "We came here to learn about this because we were in China like thirty years ago. It was really like Africa with no infrastructure back then, no E-commerce, and then you guys managed to build a solid structure, you teach our people how to use, to buy online."

Alibaba says they received around 1,000 African applications for the program, and just 29 people got the nod to come here to East China's Zhejiang province for the seminar. Most of them are in Africa's E-commerce and big data sectors.

CAROLINE WANJIKU, CEO DAPROIM AFRICA LIMITED "To find out more about the trend in the markets, because you guys are really good at technology on using data. It is not just about information, but how to use that information to help people live a better life."

WU LEI HANGZHOU "For these African entrepreneurs, two weeks of intensive training is key to knowing the latest trends about China's booming e-commerce industry. And they say it is most important to apply Chinese experience to develop the best strategies for Africa's digital economic growth."

They also heard lectures on rural e-commerce and smart logistics. Njavwa Mutambo is running a logistics company in Africa. He is also learning ways to improve the logistics network.

NJAVWA MUTAMBO, CEO MUSANGA LOGISTICS LIMITED "You can tell there is a huge focus on automation and data and using that to make logistics more efficient, and there is no reason why in Africa that we can't leapfrog and start highly automated."

Through field experience, lectures, group sharing and discussion, they will have a better understanding about China's E-commerce and try to improve their own businesses.

BRIAN A. WONG, VICE PRESIDENT ALIBABA GROUP "The final product may look different from what we have here in China. But our hope is that in building their own business ecosystems, they will learn from our lessons, the failures and the successes in China, and then help make their lives easier in Africa as they build their companies."

CEDRIC ATANGANA CEO, WE CASH UP "It is just so amazing, so we came here to learn from you guys and try to replicate the model and adapt to our local realities."

Wong says Alibaba plans to train 1,000 entrepreneurs from all over the world in 5 years, and at least 200 will be from Africa. Wu Lei, CGTN, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.