How will China influence Zambia’s elections?
A major topic of conversation in the African blogosphere over the past 18 months has been the increasing influence of China in Africa. Several of the better Africa-focused mainstream publications - Christian Science Monitor, Foreign Policy, the BBC - have run stories on China’s rising influence, the US’s apparent unwillingness to play in “the next great game”, and increasingly, about India’s interest in Africa as well. Jen Brea has an excellent summary of links in this blog post; some of the stories that particularly caught my eye are in my del.icio.us feed, under the Africa+China tags.
Carolyn O’Hara - writing on the indispensible Foreign Policy Passport blog - has a provocative article today titled “China decides election in Zambia”. China has been a major investor in Zambia, focused especially on the copper industry, and may have invested as much as $300 million in the country. The incumbent president, Levy Mwanawasa, has encouraged these investments - challenger in the September 28th elections Michael Sata, seems sure to oppose them. Sata has spoken out about Chinese labor practices in copper mines in Zambia, has referred to Taiwan as a soverign state, and is reported to be meeting with Taiwanese businessmen.
Li Baodong, China’s ambassador in Lusaka, has responded by announcing that Beijing might cut ties with Zambia if Sata were elected. A Reuters story suggests that Chinese firms have already stopped investment, waiting for the outcome of elections before deciding whether to continue investing in Zambian mines.
It’s an interesting situation because this is one of the first times China’s economic influence in Africa has threatened to cross over into political influence. This is what critics of China’s rising influence have been worried about - if there’s strong evidence that China’s threats influence the voting process later this month, one can expect to see some serious soul-searching (in Africa, at least) about China’s rising influence on the continent. I’ll be very interested to see how friends in Southern Africa are following this story when I get the chance to meet with bloggers at the Digital Citizen Indaba at Rhodes University next week - hope to meet some of my readers there as well.
September 21st, 2006 at 2:39 am
Make no mistake, it was Zambia politicians who violated China soveirgnity first by involving themselves in Taiwan Strait affairs. China foreign policy is clear that it will not have ties with country that has diplomatic relation with Taiwan. Thus, it is reasonable for China to withold the investment until the situation is clear.
September 28th, 2006 at 2:03 am
Only makes sense that China is with-holding investments to Zambia….I am a Zambian living away from home, unfortunately. I am returning home shortly and am not looking forward to a nation run by Sata.
Zambia and China have held very close ties since independence…and it’s unZambian for Sata to go on chantting anti-China songs. One expects that he would be more knowledgeable as having served in the goverments of the last to Presidents the nation has had.
Even other nations would make a similar stance with the remarks presented by Sata.
September 28th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
[...] The election has attracted some attention from bloggers and commentators who are interested in China’s role in Africa, including yours truly. Sata’s anti-China rhetoric has incensed China’s ambassador to Zambia, Li Baodong, who threatened that China might cease investment in the country if Sata were elected - a number of commentators, including John Reed in the Financial Times, consider this an intervention by China in the Zambian election. Sata made headlines today by praising Robert Mugabe, blaming capitalist imperialists for Zimbabwe’s troubles, and stating, “The people of Zimbabwe are not suffering. They are much happier.” [...]
September 30th, 2006 at 8:16 pm
China has no right to intervene in a countries politics, Yes they may have some investments but at what costs, some one please tell me how much money we have made for the recent rises in copper prices,or jus copper in genral over the last five years; how much goes to the state and how much goes out of the country.
These are the same reason why we are always dependant and yet we still claim independence… think about it.
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:06 pm
China is not a force to recorn with in the development of one’s country.These so called investors (Chinese) do not play any part in the development of the Zambian economy.Because, every Zambian whose got ears to the ground can tell you that these guys(investors) do not set up or come up with projects or ventures that benefit a Zambian.
What these so called “investors” interest is to make money and remitt it to their respective countries.They do not show any obligation to the Zambian community in any way.Because I know that as far as the community is conserned, any corporation thats in existence and is making profits should have an obligation to the community but these investors ho are bussy plundering our natural resources do not care for an ordinary Zambian. They are “business men”!Viva Sata.
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:15 pm
And where in the world have you seen an investor(corporation)going to another country with its own general workers?????these guys try to reduce unmployment in their countries….not where they are investing.
October 3rd, 2006 at 10:23 pm
It’s the name of the game folks! Welcome to the “Global Village”. Simply stated, Information + Money = Power. People with access to critical information and money have influence over elections. It happens every where. What’s different, and down right sad in Zambia’s case is that the people influencing the elections are foreigners; NOT Zambian corporations.
Zambia, and perhaps many other African Nations must put stringent controls in place if they are to play fairly in the “poli-economical” arena of today.
Political sophistication and economical saviness will be required in implementing stringent controls as the powers that be will vehemently oppose them.
October 9th, 2006 at 6:51 am
If Zambians don’t like the Chinese investment, they can always refuse Chinese money. They can stick with their European masters. Maybe they miss the slavery era. Of course China can also look at other sources for coppers. Zambia is not the only nation with coppers. But one thing is for sure, Zambia will pay heavily if it involves itself in China’s internal politics.
November 6th, 2006 at 2:49 pm
[...] But it’s clear that China’s involvement in Africa isn’t purely about business or philanthropy - politics are on the table, too. As Jen Brea, watching the events from China, points out, there are now only five African countries that recognize Taiwan - the rest have cut ties with the island in support of China’s “One China” policy. And Chinese involvement in African politics has included threats of withdrawing investment in Zambia if the opposition won an election, and heel-dragging in the UN on the issue of bringing troops to Darfur to stop the killing. [...]