Africa looks to the Orient for lessons(3)

Africa is an ideal destination for this to take place, because China's neighboring Southeast Asian countries have limited populations that cannot satisfy the needs of this transfer, Lin says.

As an example of a successful relocation, he cites the 2011 move of Chinese shoe company Huajian to Ethiopia, where it has recruited more than 2,500 workers locally with plans to increase that to 30,000 in the next three to five years.

Lin says Africa could be the "blue sky and green sea" for Chinese labor-intensive manufacturing providing a base for the second boom of the industry.

"More importantly, it will also largely enhance Africa's economic development and lift the living standards of African people," he adds.

Based on China's past experience and lessons it teaches, Africa has huge potential to develop a better industrialization, according to Teng Liliang, chief marketing officer of the China-Africa Development Fund.

"African countries have witnessed China's successful built-up on the basis of industrialization during the past few decades, so now they are quite enthusiastic about doing that themselves," Teng says. "But they could do better, because they have abundant natural resources and minerals as a foundation for development, which China didn't have when it started the process."

Another advantage is Africa's huge population as a potential market and provider of labor for the processing industries.

"Many harbor doubts about China's intentions in helping Africa start industrialization, but they should also realize Africa's industrialization would also help China in the future," he says. "From a macro perspective, China and Africa are now deeply interdependent on each other, so a better Africa makes for a better China."

China now has an excess of production in many fields, including processing industry, electronic appliances and textiles, which are all desperately needed by Africa, so it's vital many Chinese entrepreneurs move factories there, says Teng.

"They would be closer to the raw materials and markets, which would greatly reduce production and transportation costs," he says.

According to Teng, China's skill and technology transfer to Africa would be a process of mutual learning. It is crucial for developing Chinese companies to grow alongside African skills and markets, and those who go to Africa earlier would have more opportunities.

"Industrialization for Africa is a necessary foundation for any future economic boom," he says. "For China, it's a strategic opportunity to reach common development. So, from an investment perspective, it's crucial to catch the 1 percent chance and turn it into 100 percent success at this special time."

However, people do not have a clear understanding of Africa and have over-generalized the situation, says Jorge Maia, head of the research and information at the Industrial Development Corp in South Africa,

"It is extremely important for us not to look at the continent in an abstract way, and take a broad-brush approach," he maintains. "The African countries are so different. The moment you focus on one country, you would realize how distinct it is from others."

Investors should generate more detailed and specific proposals for business in different regions and countries, rather than making decisions on a rough idea or general understanding that could lead to failure.

Typical obstacles to investment in many countries include disconnections between business, social and governmental entities.

Shamal Sivasanker, director of consulting for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ltd in South Africa, goes a step further.

"I don't think Africa is capable enough at present to go through industrialization," he says. "If we look at the industrialization programs China carried out between the late 1980s and where we are today, and the level of coordination needed between government departments and private sectors, no one has actually talked about that level of collaboration and participation in Africa.