10 April 2006
SANA'A- Chinese investors will be given free land plots as well all possible support and assistance if they invest more than US$10million in Yemen, President Ali Abdullah Saleh has said.
The President, speaking at a meeting with businessmen and investors from China in Hong Kong, made the promise in a speech encouraging investment in Yemen.
He promised the Chinese businessmen and chairmen of companies that Yemen would provide them with "all facilities", including a free piece of land to set up projects in industry, tourism or other projects.
Saleh added that interested investors could form partnerships with people from the private sector in Yemen which he said were "very active" or with Arab and foreign investors working in Yemen.
President Saleh then praised the tremendous development he saw in Hong Kong, which he compared to the experience and development in the southern half of Yemen both of which were once colonized and developed as trading centers by the British Empire.
Several Yemeni ministers then explained the economic policies and investment plans of Yemen to investors.
Saleh said there were many investment opportunities in industrial zones and the Aden Free Zone, as well as chances of investment on Yemeni islands. He said all those investments would create jobs for Yemeni youths.
The meeting in Hong Kong follows a successful visit to mainland China and the capital Beijing, where Yemen and China signed agreements valued at about US$1 billion, to carry out strategic projects in the country.
The President praised the Chinese approach to investment, telling the Yemen Space Channel on Sunday that China had supported Yemen since the revolution "without any conditions".
"In spite of our excellent relations with western countries, they offer their assistance with conditions," he said.
He said that the Yemeni people would benefit from those strategic projects which include energy and road projects, as well as construction of technical and vocational training centers.
Saleh added that the assistance of the European Union to Yemen was associated with democratic reforms, human rights approval and empowerment of women's' participation.
"But we are in Yemen have our policies toward democracy, respecting human rights or women's participation. We have done reforms by ourselves, not imposed by others," he said.
"We did not hear about Chinese violations of human rights or other breaches. China, the country of 1.3 billion, did not impose any conditions on mutual cooperation and offering its assistance to Yemen."
Saleh added that relations were "wonderful" between the countries, building on the 50 years of relations, and praising China for their support of the Yemeni revolution.
He praised the great economic achievements in China and its policy to "liberate the Chinese economy".
Chinese investors were invited to visit Yemen to see opportunities for investment, and Saleh said that Yemen had put in place polices and laws designed to attract and protect investments.
Saleh is also discussing investment opportunities with other countries. He said his meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz was "successful", stressing the close "brotherly ties" and "common interests" between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Saleh now flies from China to Pakistan, when he said he will discuss issues of "common concern". He described Yemeni-Pakistani relations as "very good."
SANA'A- Chinese investors will be given free land plots as well all possible support and assistance if they invest more than US$10million in Yemen, President Ali Abdullah Saleh has said.
The President, speaking at a meeting with businessmen and investors from China in Hong Kong, made the promise in a speech encouraging investment in Yemen.
He promised the Chinese businessmen and chairmen of companies that Yemen would provide them with "all facilities", including a free piece of land to set up projects in industry, tourism or other projects.
Saleh added that interested investors could form partnerships with people from the private sector in Yemen which he said were "very active" or with Arab and foreign investors working in Yemen.
President Saleh then praised the tremendous development he saw in Hong Kong, which he compared to the experience and development in the southern half of Yemen both of which were once colonized and developed as trading centers by the British Empire.
Several Yemeni ministers then explained the economic policies and investment plans of Yemen to investors.
Saleh said there were many investment opportunities in industrial zones and the Aden Free Zone, as well as chances of investment on Yemeni islands. He said all those investments would create jobs for Yemeni youths.
The meeting in Hong Kong follows a successful visit to mainland China and the capital Beijing, where Yemen and China signed agreements valued at about US$1 billion, to carry out strategic projects in the country.
The President praised the Chinese approach to investment, telling the Yemen Space Channel on Sunday that China had supported Yemen since the revolution "without any conditions".
"In spite of our excellent relations with western countries, they offer their assistance with conditions," he said.
He said that the Yemeni people would benefit from those strategic projects which include energy and road projects, as well as construction of technical and vocational training centers.
Saleh added that the assistance of the European Union to Yemen was associated with democratic reforms, human rights approval and empowerment of women's' participation.
"But we are in Yemen have our policies toward democracy, respecting human rights or women's participation. We have done reforms by ourselves, not imposed by others," he said.
"We did not hear about Chinese violations of human rights or other breaches. China, the country of 1.3 billion, did not impose any conditions on mutual cooperation and offering its assistance to Yemen."
Saleh added that relations were "wonderful" between the countries, building on the 50 years of relations, and praising China for their support of the Yemeni revolution.
He praised the great economic achievements in China and its policy to "liberate the Chinese economy".
Chinese investors were invited to visit Yemen to see opportunities for investment, and Saleh said that Yemen had put in place polices and laws designed to attract and protect investments.
Saleh is also discussing investment opportunities with other countries. He said his meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz was "successful", stressing the close "brotherly ties" and "common interests" between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Saleh now flies from China to Pakistan, when he said he will discuss issues of "common concern". He described Yemeni-Pakistani relations as "very good."
By Observer Staff
© Yemen Observer 2006
