CAIRO - The Egyptian market is now full of Chinese goods, including clothes, shoes, electronic products, bags, automobiles, motorcycles, cigarette lighters, cigarettes, children's toys and many more. ‘Made in China' products are proving very competitive, so most big Egyptian traders and businessmen are trying to protect Egyptian-made products from the Chinese-made imports. “Nowadays, Chinese products are everywhere. Chinese saleswomen even come knocking at our doors with huge bags on their backs, full of clothes and scarves at attractive prices,” says Laila Ibrahim, a housewife with three children. “I like to buy their products as I can afford them. I'm not working and my husband's salary very small, so we have to cut our cloth accordingly. “Some Chinese businessmen are planning to set up shopping centres in every Egyptian governorate, full of Chinese vendors, provide Egyptians with good products and services,” says Mohamed Nasr, who works in a bazaar in Shubra el-Kheima district; many of his colleagues are Chinese. He adds that the Chinese sellers don't understand the local language and it takes them a long time to get properly organised. “But they smile at their Egyptian customers and know all about the products and prices,” Nasr explains. “These products are all from China – computer parts, headsets, keyboards and DVDs, etc,” says Hassan Mahmoud, another vendor in the same bazaar, adding that there are also all sorts of other Chinese products like air-conditioners, TVs, gas cookers, microwaves, dishwashers and mobile phones. “The good-quality Chinese products are very competitive in the Egyptian market, but some of their products are shoddy, as some Chinese dealers want to maximise their profits. But it's up to the importers to decide on quality,” he stresses. “I like Chinese clothes and accessories, but I'd not risk buying a Chinese car or Chinese electronic goods,” Heba Abdel-Rahman, a shopper in this bazaar, told The Egyptian Gazette. “Egyptians like the cheap, good-quality Chinese products. We women like the perfumes, handbags, makeup and bracelets, etc. “Many young Egyptian women buy Chinese jewellery instead of real gold jewellery, which has become very expensive. Jewellery made in China is beautiful and cheap. There are lots of different kinds and it looks just like the real McCoy.” Heba admires the Chinese for their business acumen. “We should encourage to work in our country and try to learn from them so we can compete with them,” she stresses. “Motorcycles, bikes, cars and other Chinese products are cheap and perform well. Chinese motorcycles are welcome here,” says Yehia Ibrahim, a professor of economics at Cairo University. “Many young men prefer buying a Chinese motorbike for LE2,500 to taking a microbus to work every day. “But Chinese products are having a bad effect here, causing sales of Egyptian-made products to decline in the local market. Our manufacturers must work harder to compete with the cheap imports and promote locally made goods.” There are many reasons why Egyptian manufacturing is struggling, such as lack of training of workers, lack of big machines and customs dues. “We should look at our problems first, rather than criticising Chinese success and progress. We are impressed with the high quality and low prices of imported Chinese products, but Chinese toys often stop working after two days and clothes lose their colour after one wash,” Reda Ahmed (21), told The Gazette. “Egyptian traders should protect consumers from poor-quality Chinese products. We must give local traders a fair chance, rather than encouraging the Chinese sellers,” she argued.
