A tiny pinch of Salt in President HH Beijing trip
8th Sept 2024
Amb. Anthony Mukwita
I come from a background where when one has done something good, you commend them.
It´s on this back that I commend Don H or President Hichilema for having taken the long trek to China after so much procrastination, joining 53 other African heads of states for the annual FOCAC get together.
Before the trip, way back in 2022, many analysts on international politics and economics, including my humble self told Don H that ignoring China was like burying ones head in the sand, it just wasn’t politically and diplomatically astute.
Don H and his men did not listen and when China was openly rebuked and chastised by a US Senator in a twit, the President did nothing to defend the Dragon.
“I was honoured to meet with President Hichilema, a strong leader and bright spot for democracy in Africa. HH is working hard to “curb” China´s malign and predatory influence in Zambia, as well as increase cooperation with the US…” read the Senators unflattering twit.
The Don I think forgot that for almost 60 years, Zambia enjoyed stellar diplomatic and economic relations with China that saw the birth of the almost 2000km railway line between landlocked Zambia and Tanzania.
In my latest 2023 book “China in Africa the Zambia story” inspired by a master’s degree thesis in International Relations, I observed that it wasn’t diplomatically good for Don H to ignore China for two years since he assumed office in August 2021 but made numerous trips to the United States and UK.
After all, of the about $14 billion foreign debt Zambia had then borrowed for infrastructure development, China was owed about $6 billion alone, so ignoring it was like biting the finger that feeds you.
I further pointed out on numerous TV interviews on Diamond and KBNTV the importance of Don H to balance his love between Uncle Sam and the dragon because favouring one, even by perception, could hurt the other.
And this came to pass as we saw China refusing to give Zambia a much needed hair cut on loans at the Creditors meeting, in my view, because they felt slighted by our President.
To add salt to the festering economic wound, I am told Zambia under Don H cancelled most contracts Chinese companies had with Zambia obtained under his predecessor H.E Edgar Lungu in 2021.
China wasn’t happy because these contracts were from its EXIM bank.
Now if you cancel my contracts and openly show that you prefer the West to the East, I have no choice as China but to give you a similar economic cold shoulder.
Respected analysts tell me that had Don H just given a little attention to China instead of a mere phone call to President Xi when he launched the $65 million Kenneth Kaunda wing gift at Mulungushi International Conference two years after assuming office, Zambia would be in a better place than the group hand-outs we got during the September 4 indaba in Beijing.
By the way the FOCAC meeting last week has been held since inception in 2000 but I notice some Don H consultants think it was held for the first time last week, sorry to burst your bubble.
President´s Edgar Lungu and predecessor Michael Sata attended this meeting annually, not ´for the first time´.
At the September 4 FOCAC, which in diplomacy parlance is also known as “Africa plus one” in reference to similar meetings African leaders hold annually with either the US, Russia, Japan, India and France, President Xi Jinping pledged to help Africa, not just Zambia with about $50 billion in development aid, loans and grants.
More, however, could have been obtained if we had a warmer relationship with China on a bi-lateral level than fall in the trap of embracing one block at the expense of another in 2021, even by mere perception.
Diplomacy dictates that we talk to everyone and do not inherit other nations enemies. What do we do when the enemies make up?
In my book “China in Africa the Zambia story” on page 7 I write that, “ everywhere you look in Zambia today, the footprint of China´s ubiquitous presence in Zambia is visible…the roads we drive on and airports we land and take off from are 100pc ´Made in China´.”
Our world is increasingly becoming multi-polar, its no longer about Uncle Sam sneezing and everyone catching a cold, we now have China, Russia or the BRICS rising, we must be friends with everyone, without exception.
Me myself personally, I am happy that Don H has finally had this epiphany of whom China is, as a global economic player like Malcom X said, “you only ignore a nation of more than $1 billion people at your own peril.”
This is a nation that has uplifted 300 million people out of abject poverty in under 30 years as at 2015, there´s a lot we can learn from them and even more if we embrace them as friends, just like we do with the US and its EU allies.
Imagine what we could have reaped if we did not freeze our friendship in 2021? Lessons learnt, bridges burnt to the ground.
China has built 100,000kms of highways and about 10,000 kms of railway lines in Africa since FOCAC started in 2000.
China has built more than 200 schools, 50 stadiums and 100 ports according the Boston University library.
Their corporation with Africa, by leaps and bounds surpass that of the Us and EU combined since independence, it is only a good thing to embrace them the same we embrace the west in a multi polar state of things.
I am also thinking, how is the uncle Sam perceiving Don H now after they advised him through that infamous twit to “curb” Chinese influence in Zambia?
That’s my two cents to Don H.
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Amb Anthony Mukwita is a published author whose books are available in Bookworld, Grey Matter, Amazon and Barnes and Noble. He has served Zambia as an Ambassador in several European countries.
Anthony Mukwita is too ambitious just as Emmanuel Mwamba is. He thinks knows better diplomacy and economic what did he do when he served as Ambassador apart from spreading propaganda against UPND. His writing is just part of his usual rethoric and booking lifting theories.
A record be put straight here it is not the efforts of Anthony Mukawta which made President Hakainde Hichilema to visit China to attend the summit in this year. Anthony Mukwita is another play boy who lived a lavishly life during the corrupt PF government.
You had opportunity to educate your former corrup president who mismanaged the economy through thieving and corruption. You are not smart and well informed about economic matters even calling yourself as a career diplomat is exaggerating your career accomplishments.
Sometimes, it better to be silent than always making false statements and talking the subject someone doesn’t know much about.
Mr Mukwita, you are not humble as you claim to be. Secondly, speculating what the outcome might have been is not a sound basis for your portrayal of the debt issue.
To me you sound like a person full of self-aggrandisement.
Bwana Antony Mukwita is lamenting and prembulating for nothing.He has already forgotten how Mr Sata talked negatively about China and promised he would chase them from the country when he wins.Mr Sata had to convine a meeting with the Chinese at State house to make an understanding, I can’t say more but later he welcomed China .HH never showed deslike for China and he said he had been in talks and fruitfull talks from way back.Zambia can not limit it’s friendship with other countries no, but to increase international relations for economical enhancement.Yes PF used to go for meetings in China from way back but at a huge cost.A lot of PF cadres travelled to China at the expense of taxpayers money and enjoyed in hotels many times.The entourage was always too huge.HH travels with normal and limited staff.Zambia’ bilateral relationship has never been threatened by the coming of HH to power.Therefore your talk is absolutely rigmarole.
Human beings make mistakes and do wrong things. If you believe that someone cannot make a mistake you will die with heart attack
defending everything or die condemning everything. Learn to appreciate and accept corrections then you live a healthy life.
There is no angel under the earth.