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Zambia has asked China to invest more into the electric battery industry.
Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Chipoka Mulenga, said this when he met Chinese vice minister of commerce, Li Fei, on the sidelines of the 3rd China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha, China on Thursday.
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Mulenga said this could resonate well with the existing economic zones in the country.
He pointed out that as leader in the sector, the investment in the electric battery would add value, stating that Zambia had reached an agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC) that no raw materials would leave the two countries but be processed within.
He said to develop the electric battery and accessory industry, Zambia would like to do this with its established friend, China.
“You have the technology, you have the capital to help us develop this industry in our country. We believe as a government that electric cars are the future of mobility in the world,” Mulenga said.
He said Zambia had enough land prepared for this industrial development and many others needed to be set up because the country’s geographical position was a hub for the manufacture and distribution to the rest of Africa.
The minister stated the reason Zambia has continued to ask China for assistance was due to the role it played during the debt restructuring process.
Mulenga appealed to China to support the construction of the Common Market for Southern Africa (COMESA) headquarters in Zambia just like they did with construction of the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa.
He revealed that land had already been secured for this landmark construction, which would support the 21 member states in Africa.
Mulenga said the support and contribution of China towards the noble cause would not only strengthen the relation with Zambia but the entire African continent.
Meanwhile, China’s vice Minister of Commerce, Li Fei, said the country was ready to import more agriculture products from Zambia.
He said that country had previously imported agriculture products valued at US$120 million.
Li acknowledged the role that lenders had achieved a debt restructuring plan, which China had been part of.
He said the government of China was ready to implement and complete the remaining projects, which were in progress, as it was a way of cementing the close cooperation between the two countries.
Li said also stated that more Chinese companies were ready to invest in textile, machinery, smart agriculture and technology.
Contributed by Dorothy Chisi
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