Information of TABA Member

2021/07/20 Members Chen Fuzhong and Hong Sister create a new chapter in Namibia's life

Namibia, an African country located in the southwestern corner of Southern Africa and on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, is known as the "back garden of Europe". For the British Prince Harry and Megan’s first choice for their honeymoon, Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie chose the place to give birth to her baby. This geographical term, which is remote and unfamiliar to most Taiwanese, comes from Tainan’s Chen Fuzhong and Mrs. Hong Second hometown!
Chen Fuzhong and his wife immigrated to Namibia in 1996 with their family. In his early years, Chen Fuzhong graduated from the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine at Beimen Agriculture and Industry in Tainan (now the National Beimen Agriculture and Industry). Later, he transferred to the folk animal medicine and feed industry and became a distributor of animal medicine in the southern region of Bayer Pharmaceuticals in Germany. In the 1970s, in order to supplement the people’s protein nutrition, the government promoted the livestock (chicken, pig) breeding industry driven by Taiwan Sugar. After the start and growth of Taiwan’s livestock industry, it reached the golden peak of annual production of 12 million pigs (currently 6 million pigs). ) Years. In the course of the development of Taiwan's livestock economy, which was once a leader in Asia, it has a complete and rich animal husbandry specialty.
Later, due to changes in the environment in which pork is exported to Japan, during the process of storage, my wife Hong Shun came into contact with the business information of the immigration company. She decided to immigrate to South Africa with an English major because she focused on the future education of her children. In the process of bidding, the South African government encountered tightening of immigration policies, while Namibia, which was originally a South African province, still opened up immigration. Chen Fuzhong and his wife decided to transfer their family to Namibia to expand their new business.
European back garden

Namibia, which became independent from South Africa in 1990, has a land area of ​​23 times that of Taiwan and a population of 2.6 million. It was colonized by Britain and Germany, and was managed by the South African white government after the war. There are still about 300,000 South African whites (descendants of British, Dutch, German) in Namibia. Its political and economic system and urban architecture are deeply influenced by European culture, and it is known for its relatively good public security among the southern African countries.

Especially rich in mineral deposits-uranium reserves are the fifth in the world, diamonds, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, salt, vanadium, germanium, natural gas, etc., and it has the name of "strategic metal reserve." Among them, diamonds are high-quality products that alluvial to the bottom of the river, and iron ore can be found in the desert. In addition to the 1,900-kilometer coastline, there are abundant fishery resources and tourist attractions; the foundations of agriculture, animal husbandry, and mining introduced by European colonists are today's four major industries: mining, manufacturing, fishery, agriculture and agro-processing. industry. Economic activities are mainly controlled by 12% of domestic whites, with a per capita income of US$6,000, which is equivalent to South Africa; far richer than other African countries.

In 1996, Chen Fuzhong and his family set foot on Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, and were very happy. They decided to start with trade and first import all kinds of livelihood products from Taiwan and sell them locally. Unexpectedly, the high-quality consumer products from Taiwan are hard to compete with "Made in China" in price. In less than two years, Chen Fuzhong and his wife exhausted their savings from Taiwan.
Fought on the border

At that time, Angola, north of Namibia, due to the lack of materials for the civil war, Chen Fuzhong and his wife decided to move to the border and go to Rundu, a city 700 kilometers away from the capital and close to the border; from the capital Wenhoek (civil biological materials) to Longdu, Sold to Angolans who purchase across the border. Although Longdu's business was booming, it immediately expanded to two stores; but Chen Fuzhong and his wife still decided to end their combat-like quality of life, sell the stores, and move their family back to the capital, Wenhock, to engage in wholesale business in the Chinese Mall.
When invited by a friend, Chen Fuzhong and his wife went to Walvis Bay, a harbour on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The pleasant local climate, relatively good public security and home environment, and strong political and economic influence of European colonialism prompted the Chen family to decide to move to the local area and end the "Unacceptable" wholesale business in the capital Wendock Chinese Mall.
At the right time, a 50-year-old pig farm near Walvis Bay Whale Bay, after being introduced, Chen Fuzhong rented a farm to raise pigs, and finally returned to his business. Chen Fuzhong personally built the farmhouse and adjusted the breeding formula. In addition to taking care of the inside and outside of the farm, Mrs. Hong also displays her 18 martial arts such as food delivery and food waste delivery to increase her income.
Due to Chen Fuzhong's excellent animal husbandry expertise, unique feed formula and additives, the meat exchange rate of the pigs raised is good, and the meat quality is good; the number of pigs raised in two years reached 520. Chen Fuzhong shared his feed formulas, additives, and steer (pork can remove taint) with local livestock farmers and shared his expertise with local livestock farmers, winning the admiration of the predominantly white farmer, and he is known as "DR. Chen" .

Open another window of life

While the business of Chen Fuzhong's pig farm is booming, the price of corn has risen as a biomass energy source, pushing up the cost of pig raising. The two children are facing further education again, and financial pressure is increasing. Mrs. Hong, who is accustomed to helping others, helped her friends who do not understand English and laws and regulations to import customs. She knew the local customs officials. She suggested that Mrs. Hong, who is proficient in English, should not set up a customs broker.

With the opportunity "given by God", Mrs. Hong decided to give it a try. After two years of exploration and study, Mrs and Mrs. Hong officially obtained a customs broker license in 2006 and set up a business in a foreign country for the third time. With the political stability of Namibia, (there has not been a civil war since independence), and the continued economic growth, these have contributed to the rapid increase in business at Walvis Bay, an important port in the Atlantic Ocean in South Africa. The customs brokerage business of Hong Shunyu and his wife is also thriving with the strategic partners of the locals; finally, a refreshing chapter of immigration will begin.
What is particularly gratifying to the couple is that both of their children graduated from the National University of Cape Town, South Africa, and they studied biomedicine and accounting respectively. The son returned to Walvis Bay to open a dialysis medical center, and his daughter worked in the audit department at the headquarters of Deloitte Accounting Firm in London.
After more than ten years, the Chen Fuzhong and his wife, who had their hands and feet, finally got a foothold in a foreign land. Invest locally as soon as there is a profit. Three years ago, they bought a restaurant on the sea that can accommodate 500 guests at Walvis Bay and a fine hotel facing the Atlantic Ocean.

As for the opportunities for Taiwanese companies in Namibia? Chen Fuzhong and Mrs. Hong said that due to political stability (a democratically elected president, one-party ruling), Namibia is under the three traditional pillars of mining, fishery, and agriculture (the number of Karakul sheep raised in this area is the world’s largest). One, the industry has meat processing, tanning, fish processing and dairy industry). The economy has continued to grow since independence; the main trade partners are the European Union and the United States.

And because of the unique geographical environment and natural landscape-plateaus, deserts, coastline on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, multi-ethnic tribal culture, as well as the Atlantic Ocean, the largest fishing port in southwest Africa and the re-export of Walvis Bay, tourism and sightseeing have risen rapidly under the vigorous promotion of the government. , The tourism output value accounts for about 10% of the gross domestic product. With 1.5 million foreign tourists each year, it has become Namibia's largest industry with potential for development.
Despite the impact of the new crown epidemic and economic growth of -7.2% in 2020, once the epidemic in European countries such as Germany and France stabilizes, the tourism industry in Namibia will soon recover. At present, the exchanges between South Africa and Namibia have resumed. Once international aviation recovers, the number of Chinese tourists who are properly controlled will increase rapidly.
Finally, the couple talked about the feelings of emigration over the years, "Taiwanese companies that go to Africa are not large consortia, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises. They can do 16 hours a day and bear the responsibility for success or failure. All they survive are tenacity, hard work, and flexibility!"
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