Leso trade preferential policies attract investment in China’s textile industry

An article in Switzerland’s Neue Zurich Zeitung reported on September 24 that the US’s preferential trade policies have allowed Lesotho to develop into Africa’s major textile producer. Most investment in Lesotho’s textile industry comes from China.
Lesotho is a mountainous country completely surrounded by South Africa. Its economy relies heavily on trade preferences, especially the United States’ “African Opportunity Development Program”, which provides preferential quotas and tax-free channels for the Lesotho textile industry.
Ms. Chen from China founded a textile company in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, with 500 employees. In the past 25 years, the number of Chinese textile companies in Lesotho has grown from 7 to 52 currently. The textile industry also promotes local economic development and becomes Lesotho’s export protagonist.
Chinese entrepreneurs are now the main body of foreign investment in Lesotho, far ahead of South African investors. Lesotho has also become one of the areas with the highest concentration of Chinese immigrants among African countries. However, the relationship between the Chinese and the locals is not always harmonious, and there have been incidents of attacks on Chinese. Malesan of the textile workers’ union said people were not used to the Chinese getting rich quickly. However, in recent years, the Chinese have taken the initiative to “do as the locals do in the country” and even learn the local Sesuto language.
Life is not easy for female textile workers in Lesotho. They have to work nine hours a day, and sometimes have to work overtime. Their monthly salary is only about 90 Swiss francs (1 Swiss franc is about 6.5 yuan), and there are not many benefits. Still, they seemed proud to work in a Chinese factory.