Chinese Ambassador to Zambia LI JIE has said bilateral trade volume between China and Zambia has increased dramatically from USD 2.36 billion in 2017 to USD 5.07 billion in 2018.
Mr. JIE has also said China’s focus in its economic cooperation with Zambia is now skewed towards promoting direct private sector investments that will not require any sovereign guarantees from the Zambian Government.
He stated that Zambia has a trade surplus with China which has seen the figure grow significantly from USD 1.25 billion in 2015 to USD 3.13 billion USD in 2018. The Ambassador attributed the situation to the strength of the two country’s economic partnership.
“Given that Zambia has over the last few years been faced with an increasing trade deficit and diminishing foreign exchange reserves, current trade relations with China are of vital importance especially that the country aims to accelerate its push for exports to the large Chinese market,” Mr. JIE said.
The Chinese envoy took the opportunity to urge the Zambian Government to continue protecting and growing the country’s world acclaimed reputation as an “economically stable and politically democratic nation whose citizens cherish peace.”
He was speaking, Wednesday, when he paid a courtesy call on Zambia’s Minister of Finance, MARGARET MWANAKATWE at her office in Lusaka. The Ambassador was accompanied by Economic Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Lusaka, OUYANG DAOBING.
Further, the Ambassador stated that Zambia is one of his country’s top non-financial investment destinations on the African continent and ranks among the leading countries in the implementation of the Johannesburg Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAChttps://www.focac.org/eng/) framework.
“For four consecutive years from 2015 to 2018, Chinese investments to Zambia have ranked second among African countries,” he said, and added that, “by the end of 2018, China’s direct investment stock in Zambia accumulated to over USD 3.6 billion.”
Chinese investment has significantly contributed to Zambia’s industrialisation drive in sectors such as mining, manufacturing, construction, agriculture, transportation and tourism, Mr. JIE said, and that Chinese companies have created over fifty-thousand [50, 000] local jobs, achieved skill transfer, and are raising the living standards of many people, locally.
He also took the opportunity to invite Mrs. MWANAKATWE to the first ever China-Africa Trade Expo to held in Changsha, China, later this year.
Speaking at the same event, Mrs. MWANAKATWE applauded the assurance made by the Chinese Ambassador that among China’s future dimensions of cooperation with Zambia will be the focus on non-sovereign guaranteed private sector investments. She said the approach to promote direct investments will help build confidence in Zambia’s medium term debt strategy on the local and international market.
The Minister said through diversification and enhanced value chain promotion programmes, Zambia will take advantage of the warm relationship it has with China to ship more non-traditional exports to the world’s second largest economy and the world’s largest sovereign market.
Mrs. MWANAKATWE took the opportunity to brief Ambassador JIE that the Ministry of Finance was on course for a well-structured ARTICLE 4 CONSULTATION process with the International Monetary Fund [IMF] to be held towards the end of the current fiscal quarter. The Minister reiterated the commitment of the Zambian Government to engage both local and foreign investors on a frequent basis in order to improve information exchange on matters of mutual business and investment interest.
“Chinese Ambassador to Zambia LI JIE has said bilateral trade volume between China and Zambia has increased dramatically from USD 2.36 billion in 2017 to USD 5.07 billion in 2018.”
The key word there is Bilateral which can be just EXIM Bank loans …am sure he is careful this time not to mention Mukula Trees that these PF thieves have wiped out off the face of Zambia.
@ jay jay
Iwe chi kye kye, whats the matter with you mother fcuk? Why are you always trying to disapprove the positive stuff about our country. If you not satisfied with the the way Zambia is transforming under President Lungu and the PF, please leave your a$$ and find somewhere else to live. Am sure if day night had to turn to day many would be appauled to learn that you are just a broken retired man who has misused his dues and is in critical and criss phase of life!
Malinso – Oh please tell me what is positive in that news…you tell me how much of that 5.07 Billion dollars actually remained in Zambia INSTEAD of spewing silly insults. You Grade 9 dull cadres are destroying the country as you can not critically analyse..foooolish small boyi who is retired your Lazy Lungu will retire before I do ..in your small malinso brain you think everyone who criticises PF has a bone to chew with them PF will go its our kids who will clear up all that $5 billion mess…get that in that your miniature brain.
Silly examination leak reporters. Ati
Zambia’s export to China jumps from $ 2.36 billion in 2017 to $ 5.07 billion in 2018
Exports and trade volume is not the same thing. Go rewrite your exams!
The Mukula Trees & Copper cathodes go out but the money does not return due to an impoten.t PF Govt.
These statistics are as worthless as a used condom!
Thank ZAFFICO for selling stolen mukula.
Has China paid those billions of they have held to service debts?
3 billion can pay civil servants salaries in time for 2 years.
Kazungula bridge can’t be a white elephant.
ACC need move in!!
Exports of mukula and minerals ….all raw products amounting to some $5 billion….
You are duping the masses while pf guard your reaping of our raw materials while you bribe them………export finished goods….or atleast add value to the minerals…
Lusaka times has been infiltrated by UPND stooges.I have for while observed that.Their publicity is questionable and politically biased.
Mind you whatever HH and UPND touches it crumbles in pieces.Today churches in Zambia and media fraternity have fragmented because of Anglo-American influences in the country using HH by ditching millions of U.S$.
In this week LT has published three articles (including this one)in a misapplication ways.Hope LT is not one of UPND infiltrated media members.
If you don’t want free media stick to ZNBC
This Mr P. is that trabalistic childish man who always posts on LT…
The same can be said about PF stooges. They have infiltrated LT. I have observed this for a while.
Africans are too du.ll and corrupt to get any mutual benefit from the Chinese…
The bleeding of raw materials from Africa while they give you loans to build roads and export finished goods back to you is a con meant to preserve jobs in China.
Trump has got the measure of the Chinese by demanding they shift manufacture of the goods they export back to the USA…..
The GRZ should demand shifting of at least 3 key manufacturing’s back to Zambia…..light bulbs, solar products and textiles.
Simply ask the Chink Ambassador to break down the figure …you will be astonished at the imbalance, Kagame would never tolerate even the RSA trade imbalance but LAZY LUNGU is happy to even give them dollars for mere check up…
Zambians – you come to Lusaka Times fighting each other wasting your energy.
The best is for you guys is to be part of the crusade to make Zambia’s economy grow. Its not the government that grows the economy, its the private sector that contributes to the growth of the nation.
I SPEAK AS SOMEONE WHO HAS EXPORTED THE FOLLOWING TO CHINA
1. HIDES FROM COWS – For Making Leather Shoes
2. PINEAPPLES
3. MUSHROOMS
4. CERAMICS
5. MANGOES
I pay my taxes which go to the Government of Zambia for my exports. This is besides my 9-5 pm Professional Job – from My University Degree & Masters degree right here in UK.
China is booming today, to the point of lending $ Trillions of Dollars to the USA because it woke up one day and started encouraging Small Scales & Medium Industries,…
Independent Observer …the things like Mushrooms and Mangoes you have mentioned are seasonal produce unless you have specialist greenhouses like in Poland and plantations with 365 days rainfall for mangoes like in the Amazon to CONSISTENTLY EXPORT to superstores then good for you. You talk of value addition yet you are exporting raw material why not do it in Zambia.
…plus no one is saying some SMEs like yourself are not making it; we are looking at the bigger picture…much of that vague Bilateral trade is loans going back via Chinese construction companies and from your pocket to pay for this huge debt these reckless morons have accrued.
Jay Jay I don’t have UPND genomics like yours.
Pointing out that your south god is ACTING like he does because of his bloody covenant with Anglo American, doesn’t qualify me to be tribal like you.
Even you JayJay altogether with your family folks knows so well that your south god is pioneering or (an agent of Anglo American)the mineral giants imperialists to come and occupy in ALL mineral beltway of Zambia.
So don’t pretend as if you don’t know.
You can take your UPND foooools and your HH with you for all I care…there is nothing of substance you are saying regarding the article.
Kwena mulamubepesha Sana Jay Jay Pali but UPND. He has consistently criticised them like PF but I think ruling party activists refuse to see this
*Pali bu UPND
cont…
Medium Industries, The Private Sector to Grow, Allowed its People to become Entrepreneurs
They did this because they realised that Communism was going to take them nowhere. China is a Capitalist Nation but it has a long way to go. Because it still has Communist Ideologies,especially from the Old Guards who don’t want to admit that Communism is now ancient.
These figures coming from the Chinese Ambassador are encouraging. !!!!!
So don’t just sit on your backside being cynic. Be part of the crusade to create wealth by being Creative and Enterprising. Make money and contribute to National Development. Governments don’t make money. They just collect taxes to run the Public Services.
Please point exactly which figures are encouraging, he has simply given you a block overall figures; go and tell people in Kanyama that trade is booming with China its worth $5 billion…you have absolutely no idea what China is up to already Kenya, Uganda will lose their strategic assets because of this blindness, ignorance and greed…go and read about China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Already this govt failing to pay civil servants on time because of this debt servicing …the EUROBOND has not even kicked in yet.
Jay Jay #
My brother and I assuming you are a man. Read what @Independent Observer has written.
I don’t agree with Independent Observer some times, but on this one he is correct and spot on.
This is the blind cheering and clapping ….I always talk about …YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE CONCLUDED from his post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All of you singing SMEs ….SMEs and mentioning china should know China’s graduation to SME mass creations is a gradual controlled process…..even now China still has some of the largest state controlled companies and industries …..not like this free for all you have in Zambia where anyone can come and bribe their way to anything….its a jungle out there , dog eats dog. And the majority of poor Zambians stand no chance with these hungry scavengers. Slavery and seasonal jobs are the future for the majority of Zambians…
China still has a strict controll over her industries….with large government controlled industries, created and controlled by the Chinese government…
Observers writing garbage he plagiarized from somewhere to sound intelligent meanwhile he can’t explain the details of this trade imbalance. As they say the devil is in the details.
That is the point…..we want to see the break down , not just dancing when they get numbers thrown at you.
It is numbers of raw materials here, the real jobs remain in China and South Africa. Poor Zambians are lambard with seasonal labour jobs.
To the untrained visionless reader this is soothing soundbites…PF govt likes such chaps who talk about everything but govt policies.
All that exports is raw copper ,elephant trophies and other endangered species.Chinese are raping Zambia and taking advantage.
Don’t forget to add Pangolins and Hippo tasks to add to that list…this is why PF is not barging on butchering of hippos using boer trophy hunting companies.
Meanwhile some foooools are cheering on some lazy man who has time to jog and play on the tarmac.
“Mr. JIE has also said China’s focus is in it’s economic cooperation with Zambia and is now skewed towards promoting direct private sector investment that will not require Zambian government sovereign guarantees.”
Here I choose to be an Optimist…we have been crying for the private sector to explore the international markets but our sovereign guarantees were a limiting factor and our govt could not extend that extra hand due to limitation of the reserves at BOZ.Here China has my approval.Read Dambisa Moyo’s ‘How the West Lost it’.
No …..Mr jie,
The relationship here is like a doctor who is in charge of a wealthy patient who is a junkie.
Since Mr jie, your country has the power over Zambia, you are not duping some of us. China needs to do more to create real jobs by creating manufacturing in Zambia.
Even mrs mwankatwe was seen begging for a different approach of medicines from the doctor , medicines that make the patient self reliant, not only medicines that make them look strong but still a junkie.
Jay Jay #
If you wait for a Bigger Picture to appear, you will wait forever. Every bigger picture starts from a Small Picture. Building a house starts with one brick at a time.
In other words. You start with a plan of having a:
1. SHORT TERM
2. MEDIUM TERM
3. LONG TERM
The SME’s of yesterday are the bigger global companies of today.
Fred Mmembe started as just WEEKLY POST. He ended up becoming the biggest distributor of News Print in Zambia. Later, he formed Post Courrier. Then he attempted Zambian Airways.
Giant Global or International Supermarkets or Retail Outlets started as one single Grocery Store. The likes of
TESCO in UK
WALMART in USA
SHOPRITE in SA now in Zambia
Jack Ma started ALIBABA.COM with $19,000 or $19 grand. His company is now the biggest…
Again there is nothing you are writing here that I don’t know you are not talking to a villager…maybe you are trying to impart advice thinking I am just sitting on my hands.
Jack Ma had a billion people at his doorstep and his govt helped him by closing down outside competitors like Amazon… providing him with a conducive environment to replicate Jeff Bezos company in China…if Jack Ma was in Zambia they would have let investors flood the market with imports; IDC would have also set up the same company to kill him off.
Cont..
Jack Ma started ALIBABA.COM with $19,000 or $19 grand. His company is now the biggest Ecommerce competitor to Amazon. Mind you the Chinese government did every thing to stop him. He was determined. He ended floating ALIBABA on New York Stock Market. Alibaba’s IPO was worth $25 Billion on the first single trading day. Jack Ma became a Billionaire over night. And he is among the biggest tax payers to the Chinese Government. Today the same who wanted to stop him, embrace him.
I challenge you to use your #passion or #education to become part of creating wealth and jobs in Zambia.
Zambia has plenty of Pineapples, Mangoes, Mushroom and Animal skins from cows. I just took advantage and created an Export Business to China. And I am growing Handsomely
So your reasons about…
Again nothing you are writing but soundbites…that I don’t already know; you can’t challenge me you don’t know what I do.
Cont..
So your reasons about having Green Houses is really a LAZY EXCUSE.
Poor Chinese people are coming into Zambia. They borrow money from local banks and start exporting raw materials to China. And we sit and just complain in anger.
Indians came as Teachers, Doctors & Accountants working in the Civil Service. Today these same people are running manufacturing companies in Zambia and exporting abroad.
Then we take that anger to politicians. Always looking for Blame Games.
You sound like an Intelligent Person. So use and channel your Energy Wisely. You will become the next big thing in Zambia.
Again you are there trying to impart advice to me like you do to a student thinking am not doing anything…the reasons for have Green houses is about giving the international market consistent produce 365 days a week and offering tangible employment to locals. Polish mushroom greenhouse farms are able to supply small closed cap, button mushrooms etc to the billion dollar European market 365 days a year..mind you mushrooms is not maize you plant its fungi that needs a controlled environment to thrive.
Cont…
By the way you are Zambian. You can ask for a copy of the break down from the Ministry of Finance.
This information is open to the public or ask your Member of Parliament (MP) to get a copy for you
China #
Start being creative.
That Pull Him Down ( PWD) will take you nowhere. Be part of the Solution.
Again who is pulling who down…the article states $5billion trade you break down for us and tell us the actual figures Zambia is getting instead of laying down a motivational speech like a Pastor in a Sunday church bashing on King James Bible not telling you that evil King James there was a homosexual, paedophile, had s£x with his mother all rolled in one.
SPAKA
Have you seen how @ INDEPENDENT OBSERVER articulate and analyze national issues?
There’s a cream of intelligence and aspiration.Your points are incomplete without OPTION to the SMEs.
I conclude that you are misleading people who follow your posts.
If is 2(JAY)
When one tuned in to this blog , in no time ,one will start reading abusing language and insulting. The guy is a specialist on ABUSING LANGUAGE.A green sign of frustration and raised on poor environment when he was a toddler.And he is ardent supporter of UPND.
Amen to INDEPENDENT OBSERVER
We need minds like yours. At we need Green Houses to grow mushrooms. kekekekek…. what is this id1ot talking about…
What has observer said? To the ignorant his words are like a silver bullet ..it seems you are new to LT. You laugh at Greenhouses yet you don’t know what they are a small country like Rwanda is giving Kenya a run for it money in the Green Beans and flower sector by making use of them.
SPAKA
Don’t wait for China to create Manufacturing jobs in Zambia. They have 1.4 Billions citizens who are their priorities to worry about.
Mind you China has more poor people than the whole Africa combined.
You are Zambian. So use the abundance of raw materials we have to create Manufacturing companies and jobs. It’s your country and you have an obligation to grow the nation.
DON’T say you have no money. Banks in Zambia have plenty of money. They are just looking for someone with a Good Business Plan and Investment. Opportunity. They will give you capital.
That attitude of waiting for others such as China to do it for you not the way to go.
Again trying to sound like a SME advisor or ZDA officer assuming his audience are illiterates.
A chunk of wealth in the Philippines is out of the money sent home by its citizens in diaspora. But here you have people like Spaka who want the country to fail. The PF may not be clean angels but by wishing your country ill you’re committing an even bigger sin.
Ba ndanji….
If being against PF corruption and crackdowns on democracy means I want the PF GRZ to fail , then yes I want them to fail , and to fail many times over…
This is why Pf wants to send maids and drivers to Saudi Arabia…really laughable
Correction on last paragraph…
That attitude of waiting for others such as China to do it for you “IS” not the way to go.
OBSERVER….
You are way off the mark about what I write …..people who understand what I mean will tell you that first and foremost I am a nationalist, second a anti corruption democrat. By saying I am a nationalist I mean those foringners who you point to to who come to Zambia to get rich….flip the coin , very few black ar.ses would be allowed to go to their countries and do what they do in Zambia. Right now Zambia is like the wild west with unregulated immigration. What will our future generations have ?
…..second, I am not waiting for China to do everything, I want GRZ to do more. In my opinion GRZ is going very little in job creation and is waiting for foringners to do everything.
GRZ needs to take a bigger role in creating industries.
…
Concluding , I can tell you that future generations of Zambians will find nothing left for them with the current open door policy and investor drive ,free for all you have.
Having travelled widely I can tell you no other peoples are willing to let foreigners loot their resources like Zambians are.
That is the whole point of making GRZ the main creator and drving force of industries. Atleast there is some control for future generations.
One can not go forward without referring to history. All those advanced western countries, even China , did not start of with the current free for all we have in Zambia. Their governments were the driving force behind creating industries.
Imagine how do you create an economic business zone with a loan from the country that will flood zone with its state companies…this is the bigger picture am talking about not someone giving me a motivational speech about entrepreneurship….BR Mumba Junior can do that every day on LT with three paragraphs.
Not only flooding the zone with their companies, they flood the zone with Mickey mouse companies.
Atleast if they flooded with real manufactuting companies that tackle real import substitutions and moves into exporting…not Mickey mouse companies like block making….or roofing sheet making were we already have companies doing that.
Jay Jay
Zambia produces it’s staple food ( Maize ) per season. That we also export to our neighbours per season. We don’t use Green Houses.
Our big commercial farmers produce per season. You plant maize around December/January and it gets ready for export in July & August for sale.
MANGO – too is produced one season per year.
## I don’t need Green Houses to export it all year round. I just need to export it once per year in tons. I do it every January/December by exporting in tons.
My buyers in China buy per season, which they use to make ” Long Life Tropical Drinks. They export these drinks to USA, UAE & Japan.
From the time I ship MANGO to them to the time it ends up in super markets in USA UAE and Japan .. it takes 6 Months
In other words just like our…
No commercial farmer in Zambi grows maize for sell its not profitable and those that do ..do it for animal feed. As for us growing maize again you are missing the point again…there is a reason why people plant in rainy season. As for mangoes you are clueless as to demand and supply…when you are supplying massive superstores like Walmart with 100 stores they deal in weeks and want consistency in its produce.
Cont…
In other words just like our commercial maize farmers, who do it per season
This is why I say to you. If you wait for GREEN HOUSES and BIG PICTURE, you will wait forever.
Use what you have to make something out of it.
There is a reason why GOD created these Seasons.
SPAKA
Yes, GRZ should do more. I say this again, Government makes Regulation and Policies. The big chunk of the economy is performed by the private sector. China is an advanced nation. But compared to its population its still a poor nation. This is why it falls under Emerging Markets Nations. They have more than 600 Million People in rural areas who are very poor.
The problem with you guys, is you want to compare all the time. China started developing 5000 years ago. They did not get here over 50 plus years of Independence.
I am not PF, MMD or UPND. I have criticised PF, MMD and UPND and will remain independent without party affiliations. I criticise MMD, UPND and PF. And where they do well, I will praise any Party.
But as a private citizen, try and offer solutions and lead…
“…The problem with you guys, is you want to compare all the time. China started developing 5000 years ago. They did not get here over 50 plus years of Independence…”
You are waffling now, it is you comparing. We are saying China and the West did not get there by selling off everything and open immigration policy……the state needs to lead in industry creation , foringners will not do it for you…
cont..
But as a private citizen, try and offer solutions and lead by example and NOT being Negative and Insulting. Fighting corruption is one thing. And Creating wealth and jobs via the private sector is another thin.
The famous Kenneth Kaunda saying was calling Zambians … STUPID F00LS. I have given you guys the best example in my above posting.
1# Indians came as Teachers, Doctors, Accountants, working in civil service. They saw opportunities and started opening up business in Retail, Manufacturing, Farming and Banking. While Zambians just sit cry and cry waiting for miracles to happen.
2# Fred Mmembe started small and ended up creating thousands of jobs in Zambia
3# Rajan Mahthani started as a very small bank in Ndola and ended up creating a Finance Banking Empire…
If you know a Zambian you wouldn’t be debating the issue. A Zambian bricklayer will build beautiful houses for other people but himself will end up guarding unfinished houses belonging to others. A shoe cobbler will repair other people’s shoes while himself will be wearing tattered shoes. Some will cultivate other people’s gardens without owning any land themselves.
The Headline is a big lie!
If you were smart like me you would know that there’s nothing new here or anything for Zambia to write about. China produced more copper from its Zambian mines. Ask yourselves, what other products does Zambia export to China? Nothing apart from copper which isn’t even owned by any Zambians. It is their copper. So, the figures are nothing but failure to analyze simple economics. If you sell or rent out part of your land, whatever comes out of that land, you cannot count it as your GDP or as your products. You are being fuuuled you fuus.