China’s Premier Visits Zambia in Landmark Trip as Global Powers Compete for Investment Influence.
China’s Premier Li Qiang has arrived in Zambia for a landmark state visit — the first trip by a Chinese premier to the country in nearly three decades — signalling Beijing’s renewed push to strengthen economic and strategic ties with the copper-rich nation.
The visit comes as Zambia emerges from a prolonged debt crisis after restructuring about $13.4 billion in external obligations. China, which remains Zambia’s largest bilateral creditor with loans totaling $5.7 billion, is positioning the trip as a demonstration of its long-term commitment to Zambia’s economic recovery and development.
Zambia is now shifting its focus from borrowing to attracting direct investment, especially in mining, infrastructure, industrial capacity, and clean energy. Chinese companies are expected to expand their footprint across these sectors, while Beijing aims to increase its exports of machinery, construction equipment, and other industrial goods to the Zambian market.
Economic projections remain optimistic. The World Bank forecasts that Zambia’s economy could grow by 6.5% next year, one of the strongest outlooks in the region.
Li’s visit also comes amid heightened scrutiny following an industrial incident earlier this year, when a Chinese-run copper operation spilled contaminated water into the Kafue River. The issue has drawn attention to environmental compliance and regulatory oversight in Zambia’s mining sector.
China has also approved a significant upgrade of the historic TAZARA Railway, a key regional transport artery linking Zambia to Tanzania. The move is viewed as part of China’s broader strategic competition with Western-backed projects such as the Lobito Corridor, which is supported by the U.S. and European partners.
According to China’s ambassador to Zambia, Han Jing, the visit is expected to result in “dozens of cooperation agreements,” covering areas such as industrial development, infrastructure, technology transfer, and social programmes. Beijing argues that its investment model is helping Zambia strengthen its economic resilience, expand value-added industries, and advance long-term development goals.
Premier Li’s trip underscores Zambia’s increasingly pivotal role in the geopolitical competition for influence and investment across Africa, with both China and Western nations vying to position themselves as Lusaka’s most reliable development partner.
