Some Africans in China have called on the Chinese Government to curb the smuggling of fake and sub-standard products to African markets.
Some of the Africans, who are attending seminar on Intellectual Property Right in Beijing, said fake and sub-standard products were undermining the African economy.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 25 participants from English Speaking African countries are currently attending training on Intellectual Property Rights in China.
The participants contend that fake and sub-standard products from China were having negative implications on the standard of living of Africans.
Mr Kyenda Stanley, a participant from Zambia, regretted that Africa had become a dumping ground for fake and sub-standard products from China.
Stanley called for collaboration between China and the affected African countries to rid their markets of such products.
Another participant, Ms Maudhoo Purnima from Mauritius, also lamented the negative effects of fake products on the quality of life of Africans.
Purnima said fake and sub-standard goods were killing small and medium-scale businesses in Africa.
He said as long as the indiscriminate smuggling of fake and sub-standard products into African markets are not checked, the industrialisation of the continent would be frustrated.
Responding, Mr Wang Chunye, an official of Trademark Office, China, expressed the readiness of the Chinese Government to collaborate with Africa to curb the smuggling of fake and sub-standard products.
Wang, however, called on the relevant standard regulatory and enforcement agencies in Africa to assist the Chinese government in accomplishing the task. (NAN)
