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"We will not oppose the United States in Beijing, nor will we oppose China in Washington." According to a report by the British "Financial Times" on October 8, Zambian President Hakeend Sichlema said in an interview in London, England that Zambia is a small country and cannot stand between the two major powers, China and the United States. He hopes that the trade dispute between China and the United States can be resolved as soon as possible.

He pointed out that in issues such as public health and global security, nations cannot ¡°disconnect¡± from each other, and the great powers should take on the responsibility to keep the international trade system open and give small countries like Zambia the opportunity to export freely.

The United States has raised tariffs on Zambia's US imports to 15%, but exempted a number of metals, including Zambia's main exports of copper.China has continued to expand economic and trade cooperation with Africa, and at the results of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum in June this year, at the coordinator ministerial meeting, China announced that it will implement the implementation of zero tariff initiatives on 53 African trading countries.

Talking about Zambia's relations with China and the United States, Hichilema told the Financial Times that he hoped that China and the United States could resolve trade disputes as soon as possible."We are too young to be involved in disputes between major powers. When we are in Beijing, we are not against Washington. When we are in Washington, we will not oppose Beijing."

Zambian President Hichilema

About one-third of Zambia¡¯s health budget depends on the United States, most of which is spent on HIV treatment, primary care and maternal and child care. After U.S. President Trump sharply cut foreign aid and shut down U.S. International Development Agency, Zambia faces financial tensions.

He acknowledged that Zambia is now ¡°truly suffering¡± and that the U.S. initiative to cut aid ¡°in an instant¡± overturned allocations already approved by the Zambia Congress, leaving his government little time to adjust.

He said: ¡°It¡¯s a shock, but in the long run, it¡¯s a good thing.¡±

In the 2026 budget, the Zambian government will increase medical spending by 13% to 26.2 billion kwacha (approximately RMB 7.9 billion), accounting for 11% of total spending, which is still lower than increasing health spending to 15%. International commitment. The Zambian government has also pledged to crack down on theft of donated drugs and will increase funds used to purchase drugs by 30%.

He told the Financial Times that his philosophy was to ¡°seek growth¡± and see it as a way to enhance government spending capabilities in society. He revealed that Zambia was in debt default in 2020, but has now paid off 94 percent of its late debt, which is a ¡°significant milestone.¡±

With the debt crisis easing, Zambia¡¯s economy is expected to recover. The International Monetary Fund predicts that Zambia¡¯s economic growth rate this year could reach 6 percent, up from 4% last year. He also said that his government is committed to revitalizing mining, and that Zambia¡¯s mining industry has received billions of dollars in new funding.

He said, for example, that since 2023, the UAE International Resource Holding Company has invested $1.1 billion in the Zambia Mopani copper mine. Barick Mining has invested $2 billion to expand the Lumvana copper mine in Zambia. The Zambia government has also lifted the imposition on the Conchola copper mine operated by the Weddanta Group in India in exchange for the company¡¯s $1 billion investment in 2023.

Starting from December 1, 2022, China will implement zero tariffs on 98% of tariff products originating in Zambia. On December 1, 2024, China will approve zero-tariff treatment for 100% tax items.

In 2024, the trade volume between China and Zambia will be US$6.681 billion, a year-on-year increase of 26.1%. Among them, China's imports amounted to US$5.273 billion, a year-on-year increase of 22.4%; China's exports amounted to US$1.408 billion, a year-on-year increase of 40.9%. China mainly imports copper, minerals and wood products from Zambia, and exports motors, steel products, electronic products, etc. to Zambia.

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During the Biden administration, the U.S. pushed for the Lobito Corridor Railway project in Africa, viewing it as ¡°the hope of the village¡± and hoping to use it to counter China¡¯s influence in the African region. The project involved repairing the 1,300-kilometer railway from the port of Angola-Lobito to Loo, which borders with the Congo (Kim), in order to build a crucial mineral trade route.

However, according to a report by Hong Kong's South China Morning Post on August 23, Nicolas Funier, CEO of Lobito Atlantic Railway Company (LAR), which is responsible for maintaining and operating the railway project, said that they are "a purely commercial entity" without any geopolitical considerations and cannot be separated from Chinese companies.

Fournier said in an interview with the newspaper that the company aims to promote economic activity along the route. According to him, LAR has close commercial ties with China companies, is an important logistics provider to China mining companies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and relies on equipment made in China.

"We are part of this corridor, but only one component of it," Fournier insisted. "We are the logistics part, responsible for operating railways and ports, and there are no geopolitical factors."

Fournier highlighted the company's strong commercial ties with China. He pointed out that eight Chinese mining companies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are their main customers, and most of the copper mines transported by these Chinese companies are shipped to Chinese ports. He also mentioned that sulfur imported through Lobito Port and railway is sold to Chinese solvent extraction and electrolytic refinery in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He also mentioned that LAR purchased 1570 containers from China for rail transportation, and all containers have arrived. In addition, the company signed a contract with China Railway Corporation (CRRC) to purchase 275 carriages from China, 100 of which have arrived in Lobito.

Nicolas Funyer, CEO of Lobito Atlantic Railways (LAR)

According to reports, LAR is a joint venture backed by European companies, with shareholders including global commodity trader Trafigura, Portugal construction group Mota-Engil and Belgian railway operator Vecturis. Data shows that China Communications Construction Company holds a 32.4% stake in Mota Enhill and indirectly holds shares in the LAR consortium.

In 2022, the company was awarded a 30-year concession to modernize, maintain and operate the 1300km railway, including a dedicated mineral terminal at the Port of Lobito.

Funyer said that LAR is fully funded by shareholders¡¯ interests and is currently in the ¡°final phase¡± of obtaining more than $500 million in loans from the South African Development Bank and U.S. International Development Finance Corporation for upgrading the Angolan route, adding that the company is mainly in contact with the Government of Angola, the Government of the Congo (Kim) and European sponsors.

Schematic diagram of the "Lobto Corridor Railway" project

Port of Angola-Lobito

The "Lobito Corridor" is a 1,300-kilometer-long railway line connecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo, copper-rich Zambia and the Port of Lobito in Angola. It aims to become the Biden administration's "Global Infrastructure and Investment Partnership Program" (A "strategic economic corridor" under PGII).

Former U.S. President Biden attaches great importance to the construction of the railway, calling the project ¡°the largest U.S. railway investment in Africa to date.¡±The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have both pledged to provide funding.

The PII initiative is intended to counter China's long-established and large-scale "Belt and Road" initiative, which also refers to China, with the aim of reducing the dependence on China on Western supply chains for key minerals such as uranium and copper.

In December last year, former US President Biden visited the US State Department website in Angola

When Biden visited Angola last year, he identified the corridor as a success story for U.S. investment, saying the U.S. had committed nearly $4 billion across its entire line and an additional $600 million. He also pointed out that after the railway was opened to traffic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo transported copper ore to the United States through the railway, and the transportation time was shortened from the original 45 days to less than 45 hours.

At the beginning of this year, the Trump administration came to power, which once added uncertainty to this project. Bloomberg quoted sources at the time as saying that due to the change of U.S. policy, local government officials and project developers were worried that insufficient funds would lead to project disruptions. However, the Trump administration has promised to continue to promote the development of the "Lobito Corridor" project.

Last December, Xinhua news agency quoted the analysis as pointing out that the United States has been trying to package the ¡°Lobito Corridor¡± as its contribution to Africa¡¯s infrastructure, but because the project is costly and challenging, there is uncertainty whether it can be promoted on a timely basis.

The South China Morning Post mentioned that no matter how the United States packages it, the fact is that the "Lobito Corridor" is part of the competition for control of mineral trade in Central Africa. Local scholars pointed out that China has occupied a favorable position in this competition.

Joseph Sihunda, a law professor at the University of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said that the port of Lobito is "the only fast route for critical minerals mined in the DRC-Zambia copper belt region to the Atlantic Ocean". He pointed out that China funds infrastructure construction in most countries in East Africa, which puts it in a favorable position in the field of key minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In June, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that China would impose zero tariffs on 100 percent of African products, providing more facilities for exports to China from the least developed countries in Africa.

"The 'Western benevolence' system is not working, and Africans may be closing their hearts to the United States." In July, a number of scholars from American think tanks and African universities analyzed that China's tax-free plan is a major public opinion victory, and this move may further bring China closer to African countries, which will increasingly regard China as a more reliable and beneficial partner.

Some scholars pointed out that the influence of the United States in Africa is gradually being surpassed by China. In contrast, China implements extensive trade policies and conducts economic engagement with Africa. In contrast, the Trump administration is imposing tariffs, cutting aid and restricting visas on African countries.