Chinese Envoy put records straight
…He says ZNBC, ZESCO and KKIA are safe and belong to Zambia
By Francis Maingaila
Lusaka (14-09-18) Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie has cleared the media misconception both local and international that China seek not only possess key national asserts, including Zambia National Broadcast Corporation (ZNBC), Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) and the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA), should Zambia default in paying the debt it owe that country.
Ambassador Li told journalists at a media briefing held at the Chinese embassy in Lusaka that Chinese companies enjoy warm relations with the three companies through various agreements where the Chinese companies are offering support in areas such as infrastructure and technology.
He said ZESCO has a close working relationship with the Chinese company that provides technical assistance for the purpose of improving service delivery.
Although he is new in Zambia, Ambassador Li said there are lots of changes that have taken place at ZNBC which has led to the people to begin seeing great improvement from the time when the corporation entered into agreement with star times of China.
“One such example of change is the digital migration which has brought lots of changes and the people especially in rural areas are able to appreciate the development.”
For the purpose of providing quality services, Ambassador Li explained ZNBC has partnered with topstar that will provide technical assistance and machinery to enable the service delivery too.
He also disclosed that the Zambian government has in plan to transform Lusaka into a transportation hub in the region. In order to realise this dream the Chinese government is providing technical assistance through soft loan.
“The current capacity is about 100 000 and the government is looking forward to have an improved capacity of over 2.5 million passangers. The airport management will also stand to benefit from this expansion.”
He said the expansions and development taking place in these areas does not mean that the Chinese government will take over these asserts in an event the government defaulted paying the debts.
He asked the people to ignore the speculations being perpetuated the media as a result of the debt that Zambia has contracted from China through state owned institutions are redundant.
He noted that China’s main concern is practical cooperation his country entered with Zambia and not taking possession of national asserts contrary to media allegations.
According to Ambassador Li, China has its interest on the people of Zambia and Chinese.
“The Chinese government will deliver financial support to projects that are more sustainable and will promote economic growth using viable projects as stipulated in several Memorandum of Understandings (MoU)signed between the countries.”
In addition to increasing people’s well being for good job creation and economic efficiency, Ambassador Li explained, it is Zambia that stands to benefit from numerous activities being undertaken by the Chinese companies operating in Zambia.
Ambassador Li also ruled out the possibility of taking the route of colonising any country in the world saying this has never been part of Chinese Foreign Policy.
“China has never colonized any country in its history and it is not looking forward to colonise any country, including Zambia because the two countries share a common history in that they were once both colonized.”
It was Ambassador Li’s considered view that the development challenges Zambia like many other African countries are facing today originate from their colonial past.
He said the news circulating the social and main stream media that China seek to take over the African continent using under hand methods covered in trade investment are all false and unfounded.
“It is strange that some people feel China wants to take over Africa and make it its colony.”
He clarified that China has never colonised any country in Africa and is not looking forward to colonise any country in future.
He indicated that it was China that was in forefront in helping many African countries to fight colonialism and does not wish to do what it fought during the independence struggle in Africa.
He said colonialism is not in the vocabulary of China and it does not look forward to have an exclusive attachment to development in any country in Africa.
He singled out Zambia as one country in Africa that has good foundation for development and the government is very receptive to investment.
He said his country will focus to improve Zambia in the areas stipulated in the agreement within the frame work of corporate and without political attachments whatsoever.
“In all these activities, China support Zambia in terms of soft loan and free loans whose interest is very negligible. This cannot lead the country to lose asserts in an event of default because the loans are made on mutual understanding and respect.”
He added that it is therefore unnecessary to worry about bilateral cooperation between Zambia and China because China will continue to follow a – 3 – principles, including none political attachment for financial assistance rendered, in its cooperation with Zambia.
He observed that the trade between Zambia and China is growing and is of great benefit for the two countries. Zambia export Mukuka tree to China and recently an MOU was signed for Zambia to export honey to China.
This is in an understanding of helping Zambia to diversify it’s economy away from the trade export of copper to that country.
He said despite these detractive claims, China will continue to implement the development corporation in all the country, including Zambia it has entered with the development agreement.
He said the country like Zambia stand to benefit greatly from the China Africa corporation.