Chinese people in Zambia

Chinese people in Zambia

Total population
80,000[1]
Regions with significant populations
Lusaka
Related ethnic groups
Overseas Chinese

In the past decades, the population of Chinese people in Zambia has rapidly increased.

Trade

Trade relations took off in the 2000s with the amount of trade growing from $100m in 2000 to $2.8 billion in 2010.^[2] Among Chinese businesses are large enterprises in mining and infrastructure, but also small businesses. A family of Chinese chicken farmers who established a farm in Zambia was profiled for BBC News program From Our Correspondent: "It sounds extraordinary but these Chinese businessmen and women spotted an opportunity to make a bit of money raising chickens on small farms in Zambia. They upped sticks and travelled 11,000km (7,000miles) from their homes to do just that."^[3]

Mining

Zambia is a leading exporter of copper and Chinese investment in the mining sector has been considerable. Over $1 billion was invested in 2010 with the promise of $5 billion in additional investment.^[4] Labor tension between Chinese mine owners and Zambian workers has been rife. In February 2010 a Chinese mine manager was murdered by a Zambian worker.^[5]

A explosives factory at the site of a mine in Chambishi exploded in 2005, killing over 50.^[6] The incident raised the level of discontent in the region towards Chinese mining owners and in 2007, Hu Jintao on a 8 nation tour of Africa although scheduled to appear at the Chambishi copper mine canceled the trip when there was news of a planned protest by miners.^[7]

Politics

The September 2011 presidential election was dominated by the issue of Chinese investment and people arriving in Zambia.^[8] Michael Sata in the Zambian general election, 2006 as opposition presidential candidate had accused China of exploiting the country and turning it into a "dumping ground."^[9] Following his loss, in his stronghold of Lusaka, the capitol, rioting broke out against Chinese businesses.^[10]

Rail

The largest aid project ever undertaken by China was the TAZARA Railway built from 1970–1975, connecting the copper mines of Zambia to the seaport of Tanzania.^[11]

Banking

A Bank of China branch in Lusaka allows account holders to deposit money in Yuan without having to go through foreign exchange, the first branch in Africa to offer such currency services.^[12]

See also

• Indians in Zambia

References

1. ^ http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=61640
2. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14952240
3. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/9386678.stm
4. ^ http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2093381,00.html
5. ^ http://www.chinaafricarealstory.com/2011/01/murder-of-chinese-manager-at-zambian.html
6. ^ http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=11580&no_cache=1
7. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1541566/Africa-discovers-dark-side-of-Chinese-master.html
8. ^ http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2093381,00.html
9. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1530464/Rioters-attack-Chinese-after-Zambian-poll.html
10. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1530464/Rioters-attack-Chinese-after-Zambian-poll.html
11. ^ http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=2rl5QF39S6cC&pg=PA40&dq=tazara+zambia&hl=en&ei=O-SGTuTPMs2fOtay-NQB&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CEYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=tazara%20zambia&f=false
12. ^ http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2093381,00.html