Zambia And China Sign
Mining Cooperation Deal
Zambian
President Rupiah Banda and his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao
have signed a mining cooperation pact.
There was no figure put on the memorandum of understanding
covering geology and mining, but China has already poured more
than 1.2 billion dollars into the southern African
state’s minerals sector.
Four other deals signed on Thursday at Beijing's cavernous Great
Hall of the People, covered construction of a road and an
industrial park and other economic, technical and cultural
cooperation.
Chinese President Hu praised Banda for seeking closer ties with
China.
’’Since taking office…you have been fully committed to
developing relations with China and have been working actively
to promote practical co-operation between the two sides and I
very much appreciate your strong commitment,’’ Hu said at a
meeting of senior officials.
Dangling carrots
The Zambian leader faces a presidential election next year and
has likely pushed for concrete results from that co-operation to
woo voters.
Opposition politicians in Zambia have expressed reservations
about the booming relationship, and say Chinese mining firms
have created ‘slave labour’ conditions at their Zambian
ventures.
Chinese mining firms say they offer reasonable wages and operate
within Zambian labour laws.
NAN/Yinka
