By CHIMANGENI BANDA-
Standing like a modern citadel of peace and historical legacy is the magnificent Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Centre at the famous Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
The ultra-modern international conference centre, whose main hall has a 2,500 seating capacity, with multiple meeting rooms, has been built to host the African Union (AU) mid-year summit next month.
The masterpiece, which has been built on the Mulungushi International Conference Centre grounds, is the latest Chinese infrastructure project.
It was constructed by China Jiangsu International Economic and Technical Corporation Group at a cost of $65 million.
The hallowed grounds of Mulungushi International Conference Centre have in the last 52 years hosted numerous meetings and witnessed the signing of countless treaties and peace deals of immense magnitude and importance for the region and the continent.
It is not surprising that the very grounds of Mulungushi, which oversaw the approval of the transformation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU) in July 2001, will monopolise the spotlight once again as they host the AU mid-year summit from July 14 to 17, in Lusaka, on the continental body’s 20th anniversary.
Historians and scholars will argue that the new KK wing at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka birthed a new era of bilateral ties with China, which financed the construction of the project.
Infrastructure projects have been a hallmark of China’s development assistance and cooperation with Zambia in various socio-economic sectors in the last 58 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
China’s footprint in Zambia can be seen in agriculture, education, health, mining, construction, roads, telecommunications, technology and science and infrastructure development among others.
China’s 16th Ambassador to Zambia Du Xiaohui, who recently assumed his role, said the construction of the project demonstrates the increased cordial relations that exist between the two countries and embodies the spirit of Zambia-China relations established by the two countries’ founding leaders, Chairman Mao Zedong and Dr Kenneth Kaunda.
The commissioning of the KK wing was heralded by a telephone conversation between President Hakainde Hichilema and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping who forged a new era of enhanced bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The two leaders discussed the importance of taking the Zambia-China relations to unprecedented new levels; levels many schools of thought had quashed following the ascendancy to power of the UPND Alliance which was viewed to be pro-West.
President Hichilema’s administration moved quickly to secure a US$1.4 billion bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help restructure the country’s debt and realign the development trajectory.
The approach to the IMF was seen by some as a snub to China which had provided cheaper loans to Zambia and other African countries over the last decade, especially that Chinese President Xi Jinping had unveiled a US$60 billion aid package under the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
However, nine months into his administration, President Hichilema asserted that China will continue to play a central part in transforming Zambia’s economy and improving the lives of Zambians through the attainment of development outcomes under FOCAC.
Mr Hichilema expressed optimism that 2022 will be the year to reinvigorate the relationship between Zambia and China so as to continuously strengthen and help Zambia grow her economy and improve people’s lives through the exploitation of untapped potential in the vast areas of our mutual interest.
True to his assertion, President Hichilema and his Chinese counterpart, through the telephone call, charted a new development pathway that stresses the importance of Zambia and China realigning and being strategic in the pursuit of the attainment of common goals and interests.
President Xi said the cooperation between Zambia and China has huge potential and bright prospects waiting to be unlocked for the mutual benefit of both countries.
The Chinese leader wants Zambia to fully implement the nine programmes announced by China at the eighth Ministerial Conference of the FOCAC in 2021, aimed at enhancing medical and health systems, poverty reduction and agricultural development, trade promotion, investment promotion, digital innovation, green development, capacity building, cultural and people-to-people exchange as well as peace and security.
President Xi went further to pledge support to promote the development of Zambia’s agriculture sector and open the Chinese market to Zambia’s agriculture products.
China has since constructed and handed over three high-tech milling plants in the three districts of Chongwe, Monze and Mpika at a cost of US$65 million to help stabilise the prices of Zambia’s staple food, maize, by helping to have it processed into mealie-meal.
The three China aided milling plants have the capacity to produce 20,800 by 25 kilogramme bags of mealie-meal per day and will require grain amounting to 121,680 metric tonnes annually.
This requirement will be expected to be met by Zambian small scale farmers who have continuously cried for market for their produce.
During the handover of the milling plants to the Zambian Government, Mr Du said his country is committed to promoting the development of the agriculture sector through investment in order to avert food crisis.
“If China and Africa work together to address the crisis, including food security, we will be able to tackle all kinds of risks,” Ambassador Du said.
He said China has undertaken agriculture demonstrations and technical training in Zambia in order to share her wisdom and solutions in enhancing agricultural productivity and ensuring food security.
Zambian agricultural products penetrating the Chinese market will be expected to help increase Zambia’s exports to that country, which have increased to US$4.3 billion compared to US$3.5 billion in 2020.
According to China’s State Council Information Office, China’s investments in Zambia stood at US$385 million in 2021, with trade volume between the world’s most populous nation and Zambia soaring to over US$5 billion in 2021 compared to US$4 billion in 2020.
Such statistics would be encouraging to President Hichilema who has prioritized trade with other countries.
President Hichilema underscored China’s long-term and significant support to Zambia’s national development and the need to build upon the foundation laid by the two countries’ leaders.
“Zambia and the People’s Republic of China share a deep and long-standing relationship, and we are committed to building on these strong foundations to create a brighter future for our people,” President Hichilema said.
He reminded his Chinese counterpart of Zambia’s abundant investment opportunities and the need for greater cooperation and win-win partnerships so that Zambia can follow in the footsteps of China’s remarkable economic transformation in the last five decades.
China’s resolve to help address Zambia’s debt issue as the country waits upon the IMF for the US$1.4 billion bailout package to start rolling in may just prove critical to Zambia’s march to modernizing and restructuring the economy.
While China may be one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, wielding the enviable power of veto, President Xi wants Zambia to work with his country to safeguard international fairness and justice through international law driven under the UN.
Scholars continue to pose the question; can any nation do without China in transforming their economies?
Nearly 60 years ago, Chairman Mao Zedong and Dr Kenneth Kaunda laid the foundations of the Zambia-China relations that Presidents Xi and Hichilema are keen to emulate under the confines of their recent telephone conversation.
For President Hichilema, the deal for Zambia is to “look ahead to a new chapter of enhanced bilateral relations, which will improve the lives of our citizens for generations to come”.
And President Xi says China stands ready to usher in a new era of deepening agricultural development, trade and investment, boosting economic recovery and promoting green and sustainable development for poverty reduction under a shared future.
Thanks to that telephone conversation between President Hichilema and President Xi, relations between Zambia and China stand at a watershed moment that will take the two countries to a new era of greater, stronger and more entrenched relations that will benefit both the people of Zambia and China.-ZANIS