Hichilema’s Visit to China Concludes with Upgraded Economic Ties
President Hakainde Hichilema has concluded his six-day visit to the People’s Republic of China, made at the invitation of President Xi Jinping.
Accompanied by the First Lady, Mutinta Hichilema, the President’s tour included visits to local authorities, various heads of industry, and investors in order to strengthen the economic diplomacy between the two nations.
Upon his return, Hichilema announced the two countries have upgraded their economic relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic and Cooperative Partnership. Zambia’s cooperation with China will be especially expanded in the areas of mining, agriculture, clean energy, and infrastructure. There is also mention of deeper cooperation in projects such as the TAZARA Railway Line and Mulungushi Textiles, as well as exchanges between the countries’ militaries.
In a statement released onto his Facebook page, Hichilema said the purpose of this redefined partnership was “to strengthen the solidarity between our two countries and deepen our all-weather friendship”.
Hichilema’s trip culminated in a meeting with Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of The People in Beijing. There, he also met with the Chairperson of the Standing Committee of CCPC Zhao Leji in a meeting that reinforced the historical relationship between the two countries which dates back decades.
Zambia’s recent successful debt restructuring was discussed in a meeting between Hichilema and China’s Prime Minister, Li Qiang. The former expressed Zambia’s “deep appreciation” for Li’s leadership during the complex debt negotiations.
The visit was an unmitigated success with regards to fostering Zambia’s enhanced engagement with the Chinese business community. In Beijing, Hichilema met with the Chinese Rail Corporation (CRC) to discuss future collaborations regarding the rehabilitation of the TAZARA Railway Line.
Other highlights of the diplomatic visit include Hichilema’s participation at the Zambia-China Investment and Tourism Promotion Conference. This forum was facilitated by the Zambia Development Agency and showcased the country’s huge commercial potential. It was attended by hundreds of Chinese businesses and heads of industry, who were encouraged to explore the investment opportunities in Zambia.
Much of the trip was focused on visiting Chinese infrastructure projects in order to see examples of how local and international investments can transform a country. For example, in Shenzhen, Hichilema visited the Yantian International Container Terminal, one of the largest deep-water ports in the world.
Another focus was Zambia’s commitment to increase the efficiency of its ICT systems. With this in mind, the President signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Huawei Technologies, the global ICT company, in order to rapidly develop Zambia’s digital platforms as part of the country’s “smart economic transformation agenda”.
Another MoU was signed with ZTW, a leading global ICT solutions provider, to construct a smartphone assembly plant in Zambia. It is hoped this investment project will create regional jobs as well as created digital solutions to Zambians.
Hichilema also used the trip as an opportunity to explore the history of China. He visited Tiananmen Square, where he laid a wreath in honour of the heroism of the Chinese people. When in Jinggangshan, he visited its Revolution Museum and the former home of the People’s Republic of China’s founding father, Mao Zedong.
Photo: Hakainde Hichilema / Facebook