According to the website of the Chinese Embassy in Botswana, Botswana’s private newspaper “The Reporter” recently published a report entitled “The government will ban Chinese from operating clothing retail industry”, the content is as follows:
According to the new “Trade Law” promulgated in 2003 and implemented in May 2008, Botswana’s trade department restricted the issuance of business licenses for 13 industries such as general clothing retail in 2008, stipulating that only nationals are allowed to apply. At the same time, the “Franchise Business License” will no longer be renewed after May 2008, and store owners with this license can only apply for a “Grocery Business License.” Foreign businessmen who want to obtain a “Grocery Business License” must adjust their business scope within 24 months and can only sell relevant goods in accordance with regulations and cannot operate outside the scope.
In this regard, Ma Teng, Director of the Trade Department of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Botswana, said that the original intention of issuing a “franchised business license” was to protect domestic businessmen. However, the number of foreign businessmen applying for a “franchised business license” continued to increase. By the end of 2008, only Chinese shopkeepers It has reached 654 people, spread all over Botswana, dealing in almost all types of clothing, many of which are counterfeit internationally renowned brands. Foreign businessmen, including Chinese, often take advantage of the “franchised business license” loophole and sell a variety of goods beyond the scope of one store. In view of this, the licensing department was forced to cancel the “franchised business license” in 2008. The Trade Department also sent a letter to Chinese shop owners, requiring them to rectify within a time limit and withdraw from the general daily necessities retail field (the Botswana government stipulates that general daily necessities retail licenses are only issued to domestic businessmen, and those with such licenses can operate a variety of daily necessities retail), otherwise they will be refused to renew. Issue license.
