Chinese people in Zambia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 80,000 (2019)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Lusaka | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Overseas Chinese |
In recent decades, the population of Chinese people in Zambia has rapidly increased. There were 80,000 Chinese people living in Zambia according to a 2019 U.N. World Population study.[1]
There was significant temporary migration of thousands of Chinese workers from 1970 to 1975 to Zambia to build the TAZARA Railway, the largest aid project then. TAZARA Railway, was built to connect the mines on the Copperbelt Province of Zambia to the seaport of Tanzania.[2]
Business
With the take off in trade relations in the 2000s, growing from $100m in 2000 to $2.8 billion in 2010, Chinese investors in Zambia include large enterprises in mining and infrastructure, but also small businesses owners in areas like retail and even agriculture. The remarkable sight of a family of Chinese chicken farmers that moved to Zambia was the subject of a profile in the BBC News program From Our Correspondent with the reporter observing: "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 (7,000 miles) from their homes to do just that."[3]
Chinese investment in Mining in Zambia
China remains one of the major investors in the mining sector of Zambia.[4] They have also widened their investments to mining support activities which has required experts from China.
In April 2005, An explosives factory at the site of a mine in Chambishi exploded killing over 50 workers, mostly Zambian.[5][6] The incident and rapid increase in Chinese migration raised the level of discontent towards Chinese mining investors, turning the issue of Chinese investors and migration into a political issue during both the 2006 Zambian general election and the 2011.[5]
5,000 Mining jobs in 2018
Zambia is a leading exporter of copper and Chinese investment in the mining sector has been considerable. Chinese investment in mines has accompanied the migration of Chinese owners and managers. In 2018, a Chinese firm launched a $832 million copper mine,[7] setting Zambia's mining sector on a recovery path with 5,000 new jobs,[8] and deepening ties between the Chinese and Zambian people.
