Botswana, A Chinese Businessman, Was Banned From Operation.

Recently, the Botswana private newspaper "reporter" published the report entitled "the government will ban the Chinese people in the clothing retailing industry". The contents are as follows: according to the new trade law promulgated in 2003 and implemented in May 2008, the trade department in 2008 restricted the issuance of business licenses of 13 trades, such as ordinary clothing retail, general retail of daily necessities, car washing, auction, fresh products supply, funeral parlour, hairdressing, laundry, gas station, takeaway food, cleaning service, antique business and so on, and stipulated that only native applicants were allowed to apply. At the same time, after May 2008, the "franchise licence" will no longer be renewed. The owner of the license can only apply for "grocery business license". Foreign businessmen who want to get a "grocer business license" must adjust their business scope within 24 months. They can only sell relevant products according to regulations, and can not operate beyond the scope. In this regard, Ma Teng, director of the trade division of the Ministry of trade and industry, said that the original intention of issuing the "special business license" was to protect the domestic businessmen. However, the number of foreigners applying for the "franchise licence" increased continuously. By the end of 2008, only 654 Chinese shopkeepers had been there. Foreign businessmen, including Chinese, often use the "charter" business license, and a shop sells more than a wide range of goods. In view of this, the license issuing department was forced to cancel the "special business license" in 2008. The trade department also sent a letter to the Chinese shopkeepers to request them to rectify the term and withdraw from the retail area of general commodities (the government stipulated that the general commodity retail license should be granted to its nationals only, with such a licence to operate retail of many kinds of daily commodities), otherwise it would refuse to renew its license. Wang Xiaonan: editor in charge