Hu eyes African oil

摘要

The oil and gas industry has no doubt why Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Saudi Arabia last week. But his presence in four small African countries -- Senegal, Mali, Mauritius, and Tanzania -- was another matter. The operative word in Mauritius is: Location, location, location. That is especially true for the Chinese. After all, Mauritius is close to Madagascar where several Chinese oil firms already are at work. That proximity to Madagascar is key according to Ken Poonoosamy, senior manager at Mauritius' board of investment. Believe it or not, Hu, the oil and gas industry really does operate in those four "resource-poor" African countries you visited.