China Searches for Opportunities in Eastern Province

Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie has taken a tour of Eastern Province hunting for development opportunities.

Ambassador Jie said China has a good relationship with the Zambian government and provincial administrations like the Eastern Province.

The Ambassador who was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo said he was in Chipata to discuss with the provincial administration on areas where they can strengthen the cooperation between the two countries.

Ambassador Jie said he was impressed with the agricultural activities that take place in the province.

And Kasolo told ambassador Jie that the majority of the farmers in the province were small scale farmers.

He said companies such as China Africa Cotton Company have out grower schemes where they sponsor farmer and show them the methods of trying to improve yield per hectare.

Kasolo urged the Ambassador to help look for Chinese companies that could come up with factories in the province.

He said there were other companies like the Japan Tobacco International which does a good job in the province.

“JTI does a very good job here but they are not enough, so if you are able to persuade Chinese company to come here, it will really help us a lot because they will supplement what JTI are doing. Again JTI have got out grower farmers, they get the tobacco and buy it and export it.

The cigarettes are made outside Zambia,” he said.

Kasolo said government was talking to Zambia China Commercial Zone to set up a facility in the province.

“They were here yesterday and will try to find land for them so that they can set up a similar facility here and we are excited about that because we know that the one thing that we always get from Chinese companies is quality,” he said.