About 50 Chinese companies have indicated interest to invest in Zambia by September this year.
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Felix Mutati, disclosed Chinese companies would sert up businesses at the Chambishi economic zone.
Mr Mutati, who toured the projects at NFC Mining Company and the New Chambishi Copper smelter said the companies have since been invited under the criteria value addition and industrialization.
He explained that the metals that would be produced at the economic zone by the companies would be largely for export.
Mr Mutati is happy that NFC Mining Company invested 800,000 United States dollars in the west and east projects and have created about 5,000 jobs for local people while the Chambishi copper smelter with an investment 1.5 Billion Dollars currently under construction would also create 10,000 jobs.
He said power had already been tapped and a 30 kilometre water pipe had been laid at the new smelter.
And NFC Chief Executive Officer, Luo Xingeng, appealed to the minister to expedite work permits for the Chinese expatriates working at the company.
He said the west all body would be operational at the end of 2010.
we have to be carefull nama chinese coz baisafye mukutapa ichuma,ngabanonka nokutusha mumenso poko.shibukeni mwefiwelewele.
There are no Zambian experts to take up those jobs earmarked for Chinese experts. The priority should be given to Zambians unless there are no local experts that is when you can bring foreigners.
This simply shows how profitable our copper mines are? and yet our people are paid slave wages and our Labor ministers do not give a damn…inchito buhule abena Liato? God help us.
Mutati, it is not that the Chinese have fallen with Zambia. Zambia has fallen with China probably. If you guys cannot protect the nation resources and get the best out of those resources, you will think China has fallen in love with your country. Chile has copper, USA, Canada has minerals, how come they don’t want to mine there? All these policies, under the table agreements that you guys are making are way worse than the few coins you are persecuting Chiluba about. You are in essence sentencing the Zambian ppl to a lifetime poverty and languishing. If you guys want to do business, let every investor start by building their own infrasture, not ours.
cheap labor.. thats hard to come by even the canadian companies are just bluffing because, if they were to move to another country, people will be paid minimum wage and per hour in zambia its per month…so after they have done their calculations they will realize
ct. Yes you can give out some stuff, but not at the expense of the national economical growth. Your records show that economy grew 7% to 8% but only on paper. Let the ppl enjoy the fruits of that growth. Not only Levy and family. Talking of job creation, how is it possible that you mention job creation while an Indian Company had to bring its own employees to do brick laying? Most Chinese companies I am told come with their own workers. Are you counting even the Chinese migrants as part of the job creations? If so, don’t you think you should consider yourself a FOOL? Of the economic growth, how much went into improving health, education, and how much to buy Levy, Maureen and yo suits?
Don’t fool the nation that you’re doing something by buying Stupid Used Cars for Chiefs. They don’t need cars, they need oxen, or probably to be modern or more commercial, TRACTORS. Fools.
Mutati, how these Chinese ppl working without permits. Don’t you think already they have committed a crime by so doing? How come they get into the country and they cannot wait for permits? Were are the labor laws? Were are the migration laws? Were are the stupid “political” labor unions? How come they all allow this kind of behavior? Atase, What kind of leadership is this? Now who is corrupt?
#6 is ryt on.how many times have we heard that the economy is improving when things are getting worse?how many major roads have been constructed in Lusaka in the last few years?what new public infrastructure is there?In zambia,there are’nt any council projects for the public,but then we’r supposed to believ things are getting better.HOW?The government should not be in the news everyday telling us how hard they have worked,the must show us.if anything these so called investments wont benefit the ordinary zambian much.
Chinese people are like roaches, allow one, before you know it you have millions.
The chinese have already showed us what they can do and i am not overly happy with them at all.There has been shootings of local workers, abuse of indegnious staff whils some of them are in market stores.Is that what you call investors.Zambians must wake up and dont allow more chinese on the scene.There are so many rich zambians who should be encouraged to invest in such industries GBM,Kavindele,HH,Ben Mwila, Mtine ETC please form up a joint investment protocol and take up this industry for the good of yourselves,your children,grand children and for us all zambians.Its the only way of developing the country
AM TIRED OF THE CHINESS IN ZAMBIA. I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND YOU GO BACK TO CHINA
Chinese are very mean even to themselves.I live in australia and i have chinese guys who are my neighbours.These guys we have the same jobs and getting same salaries but you can imagine they live 7 of them in a studio apartment(Bed sitter).Now u wonder how they sleep.
I hear Mathani is vying for 2011 elections how true is it?
# I think they are sensible, beacuse they are saving some costs.Problem with zambians is that you want to show off and at the end of the day, you ahve nothing to show off when your contract ends.people do not blame the Chinese, rather the government, which must change the labour laws, especially safety and minimum wage laws. Everywhere you go, miners are not paid that much.
I think we need to seperate politics and emotions from business. To all the people complaining about ‘too much’ investment, i would like you to raise all the capital needed to start up a mine, not forgetting intermediaries and a proper credit rating to be able to do business internationally. For all those who do not know..if you want to make money, its all in China and India at the moment, not that no other country has it, but tthe fact is they’re in the fore-front of economic growth. Dont let xenophobia blind you or you’ll stay impoverished for life and complain that the ‘government isnt doing enough’. Tax the Chinese and ask for better deals, but dont refuse investment or you’ll suffer.
Ej, that’s the most sensible comment I have read on this thread. Thank you. Instead of sulking we should be thinking of ways to make the most of the current situation, so that our children and future generations have a better life than ours
#16 Ej:Good point
#16 Ej – wise words
Ppl coming to sell chickens at Soweto even if they leave you will never get impoverished. How do negotiate on their terms? How about occupational safety for the employees? The way you are putting it is like the only investors who want your copper are Chinese and no one else. The other day I was watching Lou Dobbs on CNN and the story is the same all over the world. How much are these poor nations getting out of these so called investors? Literally nothing. Do you call that investment? Check GNP of China and how it is growing becoz of your copper and other African products. Now check your GDP. Remember that GNP focuses on who owns the products. Do we, hell NO!
#16 EJ, Tell them! I like your realistic and outright approach to this issue. A lot of us are truly blinded by emotions when dealing with economic matters, I think it has a lot to do with the complex mentality of the black-skinned human being called Umuntu.
Zambian is for zambians and only Zambians can develop this country.None of you can hire me to come into your homes to develop your homes,children and so forth.So its the same we should not think that anyone can develop Zambia on our behalf.FTJ believed katumbi could do it and all of us know the result
# 16.pipo r not complaining about too much investment.They r expressing concern on too much gong’a chinese investments.We cant sell everything we have jst bcoz we want investment.what about the future generation? These resource finish & you need to preserve some if you cant make huge monies from them.
These tubantu will just leave you stranded wen the value of copper declines.Besides they are known for offering pathetic conditions of service.
The BOZ website is pathetic. It just reflects how slow the response our system. It is way behind current realities of the finacial markets. The can not see how much we are losing as a country with this high kwacha rate. We are the cheapest place to dump goods in and yet very expensive source of goods.
valid point EJ I agree with you- a lot of people merely complain without offering alternatives the fact is we need capital and at the moment its coming in from China. Also China does not impose political conditions the way the West does with every deal-the issue of worker treatment is political- the authorities aren’t doing enough to ensure that worker rights are respected. If our govt isn’t going to enforce Zambian work law don’t expect foreigners to respect the law
#23 “We cant sell everything we have jst bcoz we want investment.what about the future generation?” This statement is very unreasonable. Why would you choose not to sell what you have? Isnt life made up of give and take? Dont farmers grow crops and rear animals for you to buy? You talk about ‘preservation’ when the price of metals has hit record highs? Ever heard of opportunism? My point was clarified in my last post dear friend.
#23 “We cant sell everything we have jst bcoz we want investment.what about the future generation?” This statement is very unreasonable. Why would you choose not to sell what you have? Isnt life made up of give and take? Dont farmers grow crops and rear animals for you to buy? You talk about ‘preservation’ when the price of metals has hit record highs? Ever heard of opportunism? My point was clarified in my last post dear friend.
In South Africa some Chinese took matter to court, won and are now classified as indigenous blacks just to enjoy some economic fruits for the local. What next for zambia
Ej, u r spot on.
#12 Peter monday, dont b so simplist in ur thinking. Let the chinese invest in zambia. Otherwise, there are so many countries in africa they can invest in. There is nothing wrong with the chinese, but, with grz. The amendment and implementation of labour laws is far too behind if at all it is happening. Any investor including u #12 would only b interested in maximising profit by whatever means-including underpayment of workers. Effective labour laws (where they exist) deal with such abnormal investor appetite. So, blame the govt, not chinese investors. They are there to make money for their country.
I agree with #29,the problem is not the Chinese but our Gov’t.For instance I just used to hear Sata sayin that there are 1m chinese enterin Zed every Month.I never liked Sata and so didnt believe him,but I visited Chambishi, wow!!Unbelievable,there are even Chinese general workers.I mean cleaners, my fellow countryfolks.Which other country on earth would allow such a thing.In Botswana you cant be given a work permit if you hold less than a Diploma in any field.This country I dont know…