From Kong Fu master to master of business: An African youth's business adventure in China

Odjo Rachald has lived in China for the past five years. In 2024, he established his company in China, importing agricultural products from Africa. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

Odjo Rachald, a 25-year-old entrepreneur from Benin, formed his first memories of China while watching Jackie Chan movies and practicing Kong Fu moves with friends in Cotonou, his hometown.

"Kong Fu has taken me on a journey into the depths of Chinese culture, and seeing this stunning country has always been my dream," said Odjo, adding that Jackie Chan's "Drunken Master" is his favorite movie.

Little did he know that a few years later, he would visit China, the homeland of his revered Kong Fu masters, and become a master in his own right—this time, though, in business.

At 18, he seriously contemplated pursuing higher education in business to make a change for his country. After watching a TV show about China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), he saw that his future was set in China.

"Having witnessed firsthand the positive effects of the BRI on Benin, I am convinced that this initiative is the wave of the future. I feel I can establish my career in China and promote African-Chinese ties, so I opted to attend university in China," Odjo stated.

Like the Kong Fu master in his favorite Chinese movie, Odjo discovered his life's purpose through hard work and study. After living in China for five years, Odjo gained a degree in international business, became fluent in Chinese, made many Chinese friends, and finally jumped on the BRI bandwagon to realize his business dream in China.

According to data from China's Ministry of Commerce, China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching a record 282.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. Odjo thinks that young Africans like him will have more chances as trade between China and Africa increases and that China can be a place where they can achieve their aspirations.

"When I look back, moving to China and establishing my own business here was among the best life decisions I've ever made," Odjo told People's Daily Online.

A business dream that grows in China

Odjo receives his bachelor's degree in international business from Central South University, central China's Hunan Province. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

Having spent over four years studying and living in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Odjo has become proficient in Chinese and has fallen head over heels for the beautiful city.

"Changsha is now my second hometown. I enjoy its famous stinky tofu, most of my friends are locals, and every time I travel to other Chinese cities, I have to find a restaurant that makes spicy Changsha food," said Odjo.

What he appreciates most about Changsha, besides its welcoming locals and lovely culture, is the city's strong links to Africa and the supportive policies that encourage young foreigners to create their businesses.

Data shows that in recent years, Hunan Province has bettered its commercial connections to Africa. In 2023, the province's trade with Africa was worth 55.67 billion yuan ($7.83 billion), reflecting an average annual growth rate of 23.1 percent over the previous three years.

Odjo, an international business student, investigated the demand in the Chinese market extensively and discovered that cashew nuts and pineapples, two agricultural products from Africa, are immensely popular with Chinese consumers. Meanwhile, Hunan, the birthplace of hybrid rice, has used its expertise to support African agricultural development. The province has renovated agricultural technology stations and built agricultural demonstration centers as part of more than 40 agricultural cooperation projects with Africa.

"Our Chinese friends may get to know Benin by sampling our cashew nuts and pineapples, and my goal has always been to help them learn more about my home country. That's why I started my business in Changsha," Odjo explained.

The Entrepreneurship Port in the Changsha Area of the Hunan Pilot Free Trade Zone provides favorable policies to create a more conducive setting for young entrepreneurs from foreign countries. (Photo/ Website of Changsha Area of the Hunan Pilot Free Trade Zone)

Achieving Odjo's dream has been made possible by Changsha's favourable policies directed towards young foreign entrepreneurs. An entrepreneurship port was set up in the Changsha Area of the Hunan Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) in June 2023 to create a more conducive setting for young entrepreneurs. In 2024, Odjo became the first young foreigner to get a business visa and launch his company Rico Interstellar Trading Co., Ltd in the Hunan FTZ that year, thanks to the collaboration between his university, Central South University, and the Entrepreneurship Port.

"The Entrepreneurship Port is centered on collaborating with Chinese universities to recruit and train international students in China and guiding outstanding international youths to work and start businesses in Changsha. I think it's a great idea because young foreigners like me can become experts in trade and help connect our countries with China," said Odjo.

According to Odjo, he has been collaborating with clients from Africa and China since he launched his business in August this year, and that he is now in talks about prospective orders worth over $300,000.

"As a young African, my business dreams begin in China," said Odjo.

Build a bridge between China and Africa

Odjo negotiates with his Chinese business partners. (Photo provided by the interviewee)

Odjo is currently in Angola on a business trip. He intends to tour six African nations to discover new prospects and bring more African products back to China. This would assist African countries in improving their economic relations with China.

In 2024, China has granted zero tariffs to Least Developed Countries with established diplomatic relations, making it the first major developing nation and first major economy to take such a step. Benin, Odjo's home country, is also on the list.

"The more I learn about the BRI nations' accomplishments, the prouder I get of my job. I also feel like I am working for a great initiative uniting China and Africa," said Odjo.

Odjo told People's Daily Online that he intends to facilitate services allowing Chinese businesses, particularly private ones and those with smaller operations, to invest more effectively in Africa. While Chinese investments in Africa are frequently represented by large state-owned corporations building railways, ports, and power plants, smaller private companies are increasingly credited with promoting commerce, creating jobs, and channeling technology and capital into various sectors.

In recent years, China has implemented several institutions to promote private-sector cooperation with Africa, including the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and the China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone. With its strengths in agricultural technology, equipment production, and infrastructure building, Hunan typically hosts such pioneering initiatives.

"I hope that China opens more industries in Africa and that the two sides work together more closely in solar power, agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure. This will benefit Chinese enterprises while creating more job opportunities for young Africans," said Odjo.

"I hope my experiences can help other young Africans and my Chinese friends better understand each other's cultures and countries. I wish we could build more cultural centers in Africa to show our people Chinese martial arts and cultural products," he said.

"After all, Chinese Kung Fu is how my China dream started," added Odjo.