from ARNOLD MULENGA in Lusaka, Zambia
Zambia Bureau
LUSAKA, (CAJ News) – CHINA and Zambia are exploring partnerships to grow the mining industry in the Southern African country.
The discussions were held during a meeting between Ambassador Du Xiaohui and Paul Chanda Kabuswe, Zambian Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources.
Xiaohui said mining was a key area of China-Zambia cooperation.
“China is willing to help Zambia develop the whole value chain of the mining industry,” the envoy stated.
He pledged the deepening of the two countries’ mining sector would be through the platform of the China-Zambia Trade and Investment Forum.
The two leaders mentioned the previous phone call between two heads of state – Xi Jinping and Haikande Hichilema (respectively) – as a milestone for the China-Zambia relations.
Kabuswe said Zambia was willing to carry out more cooperation with China in the mining industry.
He welcomed Chinese enterprises’ expanded investment in Zambia’s mining industry.
Mining contributes over 11 percent of Zambia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs 2 percent of the country’s workforce.
Zambia is among the top ten producers of copper in the world.
In Africa, it is only second behind the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
– CAJ News