CHINESE Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie says China has an investment scale of US$3.8 billion in Zambia.

Ambassador Li disclosed that Chinese companies, public and private, had created over 50,000 jobs for Zambians.

Meanwhile, veteran politician Vernon Mwaanga has observed that the relations between Zambia and China have a long and enduring history.

During the 2nd general assembly of the Zambia Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification of China at Hotel InterContinental in Lusaka yesterday, Ambassador Li said China had, so far, made a lot of achievements, in terms of trade.

He said his country’s investment portfolio in Zambia was growing very quickly.

“So far, China is one of the largest trade partners of Zambia and Africa. We are the biggest trade partner of Africa with a trade volume of US$170 billion in the year 2017. Take Zambia as an example; we have US$3.8 billion of trade volume with Zambia. Among that amount, China exports US$700 million and Zambia exports U S$3 billion – which means Zambia has a very large…. We also have an investment scale of US $3.9 billion; it’s (Chinese investment scale in Zambia) growing very quickly. Zambia has become the second country on the African continent to attract [huge] Chinese investment [and] last year, this investment increased by around 40 per cent and we are expecting to see that the growth will have a new momentum of growing,” Ambassador Li said.

He pointed out also that Chinese companies operating in Zambia were producing revenue, offering job opportunities, and at the same time growing.

“They are having a strategy of localisation, which is very much supported and encouraged by the Chinese government. I’m very pleased to share with you today that so far, Chinese companies, public and private, have created over 50,000 jobs for the Zambians. Of course, the companies are prepared to do more in the process of agricultural mechanisation, industrialisation, and also in the process of upgrading communication, the ICT, which is very vital for future development,” Ambassador Li said. “We have a company which is campaigning now for the slogan ‘One Zambia, One Nation’. [But] now the campaign, the initiative from the Chinese side is ‘Smart Zambia, Smart Nation’ with the transfer of skills from the Chinese partners to Zambia. We are also promoting exchanges among our people, what we call the people-to-people exchanges.”

Ambassador Li said China appreciated “very much for the general support we received from Zambia.”

“In 1971 when China resumed [its] membership as a country of the United Nations, Zambia was one of the strongest supporters, which was represented by Honourable Mwaanga as a permanent representative in New York. We had a great a victory! The United Nations resolution…was passed and China also became a member of the Security Council. In chairman Mao’s words, China was carried into the United Nations by our African brothers. So, the Chinese ethics, the Chinese values…if you give me a cup of water, I will reward you with a flourishing well and that is what we are doing for so many years,” said Ambassador Li who was the guest of honour at the event.
“We appreciate very much the Zambian government for the policy of One China [policy] issue. For so many years, Zambia is a strong supporter of our core national interest. The Taiwan issue [needs] no negotiation; that’s our national interest. The South China Sea, that’s our national interest and we have great support for the sovereignty of the South China Sea from the government of Zambia.”

And Mwaanga, who is the honorary chairman of the Zambia Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification of China, reminisced “how China supported Zambia’s struggle for independence and offered financial and material support which enabled us to defeat colonialism and attain independence on 24th October 1964.”

“Our two countries have over the years, developed a very close relationship. I have a fresh memory of the battles we fought at the United Nations to have China’s rights restored in the United Nations,” said Mwaanga while urging Chinese companies in Zambia to be mindful of corporate social responsibility as a way of showing deep care to Zambians, especially the vulnerable.