Cooperation Company (SICC) in 2000. SICC bought land from the Corporation for Investment (ECCI) and began construction on an industrial park targeted toward small-to-medium Chinese firms. By 2006, construction was complete and Chinese began operation. By 2009, the Industrial Park was full. In response to the FOCAC Summit in 2006, TEDA submitted a proposal to expand the Suez Industrial Park under the new name, Egypt Suez Cooperation Zone (ESCZ), of which TEDA would be the majority shareholder. MOFCOM accepted the proposal, with funding from the Chinese African Development Fund (CADF). The ESCZ strategy focused on the development of four clusters - textiles and garments, petroleum equipment, automotive assembly, and electrical equipment. The zone began operation in 2009 with 19 registered companies and total capital investment of $180 million. The zone produces products for export to Europe, China, and America, as well as producing for the domestic market. Service activities in banking, catering and customs grew in response to increased demand from the manufacturing firms. Although the firms were under Chinese ownership, they almost exclusively employed Egyptian labourers. In 2008, TEDA submitted a tender to develop a Northwest Suez Special Economic Zone (NSSEZ) next to the ESCZ. This was largely prompted by the Egyptian government which incorporated plans to establish a SEZ within larger industrial policy framework. The tender was accepted in 2009 Egypt’s and the NSSEZ is currently under construction. The coordinated effort between China and Egypt to create a successful export-oriented industrial zone is the longest running relationship within current African SEZ programme. It provides two key insights into the China’s nature of establishing a successful SEZ. It takes a long time to reach successful operation of an Industrial Park, Cooperation Zone, Industrial Processing Zone or an SEZ. Chinese
Cooperation Company (SICC) in 2000. SICC bought land from the Corporation for Investment (ECCI) and began construction on an industrial park targeted toward small-to-medium Chinese firms. By 2006, construction was complete and Chinese began operation. By 2009, the Industrial Park was full. In response to the FOCAC Summit in 2006, TEDA submitted a proposal to expand the Suez Industrial Park under the new name, Egypt Suez Cooperation Zone (ESCZ), of which TEDA would be the majority shareholder. MOFCOM accepted the proposal, with funding from the Chinese African Development Fund (CADF). The ESCZ strategy focused on the development of four clusters - textiles and garments, petroleum equipment, automotive assembly, and electrical equipment. The zone began operation in 2009 with 19 registered companies and total capital investment of $180 million. The zone produces products for export to Europe, China, and America, as well as producing for the domestic market. Service activities in banking, catering and customs grew in response to increased demand from the manufacturing firms. Although the firms were under Chinese ownership, they almost exclusively employed Egyptian labourers. In 2008, TEDA submitted a tender to develop a Northwest Suez Special Economic Zone (NSSEZ) next to the ESCZ. This was largely prompted by the Egyptian government which incorporated plans to establish a SEZ within Egypt’s larger industrial policy framework. The tender was accepted in 2009 and the NSSEZ is currently under construction. The coordinated effort between China and Egypt to create a successful export-oriented industrial zone is the longest running relationship within China’s current African SEZ programme. It provides two key insights into the nature of establishing a successful SEZ. It takes a long time to reach successful operation of an Industrial Park, Cooperation Zone, Industrial Processing Zone or an SEZ. Chinese