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Oil giant's commitment

By Chu Delong (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-11-03 07:01

The past decade has seen the Chinese oil producers China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) shouldering social responsibility in African countries by investing a total of US$30 million on building hospitals, schools, roads, bridges and water wells, as well as financing students from poverty-stricken areas to continue their education.

The company has contributed to improving living conditions and sustaining peace and harmony in local communities.

CNPC has donated money towards building hospitals and medical facilities in many African countries. The company has also sent its medical staff to diagnose and give free medicine to residents who live near the oilfields.

Infrastructure and transportation facilities in Sudan have been significantly enhanced with the support of CNPC.

In May 2004, the company donated US$10 million towards the construction of the only bridge that connects Khartoum to Egypt.

The move was praised by the Sudanese Government and its people, becoming a symbol of the friendship between China and Sudan.

To create more education opportunities for local children is a continuous goal for CNPC in Sudan. The company has invested in the construction of 22 primary schools and helped 65,000 people receive education.

CNPC has provided millions of dollars for Sudanese students to study undergraduate and master degrees in China, or receive short-term training.

CNPC attaches great importance to the sustainable development strategy and adheres to the principle of "Caring for Energy, Caring for You."

To improve the living conditions of the local people, CNPC has drilled more than 150 water wells and repaired 30 wells. It has also established or repaired seven water reservoirs, solving the water supply problems for 200,000 people.

The Khartoum Refinery in Sudan has built a large sewage treatment system by adopting advanced biological and plant technologies.

It has also built a sewage treatment facility near the Nile to improve the quality of drinking water. For the first time in centuries, residents who drink water from the Nile can drink purified water.

Localization and company training have played a crucial role in the sustainable development of the local economy. The company employs more than 11,000 local staff, accounting for over 70 per cent of the total staff. This employment and training has raised the technology levels of local staff and built the backbones of the oil industry in the country.

(China Daily 11/03/2006 page17)