Maravi

Our relation with China

Our relation with China
By The Post
Thu 23 June 2011, 06:40 CAT

“Our relation with Zambia is not with an individual or a political party. We establish relations with other countries on the basis of sovereignty. It is not a personal relation or party relation and whoever is going to be in power, we will continue to make investments here because we believe investment is useful and needed in African countries.

We believe our investment is not big yet because our capacity is limited and we look at African countries who want relations with China as friends and we are willing to develop good relations with Zambia, not any individual or political party, that is our principle.

We encourage Chinese companies to come and invest so that they can be here now and in the future, and our policy will not be affected by elections…” This is the policy of the Chinese government as stated by its Ambassador to Zambia Zhou Yuxiao.

Clearly, those who tried to personalise the relationship between China and Zambia have been exposed as liars. Those who tried to mislead the Zambian people into thinking that it is only them who can bring Chinese investment to Zambia have been shamed, that’s if they have any shame in their hearts. Those who claimed that the ruling MMD has a special relationship with China, to the exclusion of others, have been humiliated.

Who is Rupiah Banda for the Chinese government and people to anchor their relationship with Zambia on him? What is special about the MMD that would make China base its relationship with Zambia on this political party? Moreover, isn’t it the MMD under Frederick Chiluba that flirted with Taiwan, trying to undermine Zambia’s relationship with China?

We know that all this was based on money, on benefits to individuals. Their dealing with Taiwan was not a clean one, it was a corrupt one to win benefits for themselves and their party.

China is a great country with great people who are not where they are today by accident but by hard work and great sacrifices.

China has developed, and it is still developing, through self-reliance and arduous struggle. Their policy rested on their own strength, and that meant regeneration through their own efforts. But China has also never been alone; they have always created friendships with other nations and peoples. They have always stood for self-reliance.

At certain times in their history, the Chinese people have hoped for foreign aid but were never dependent on it; they depended on their own efforts, on the creative power of their entire population. They have been twists and turns in their road. Even with the achievements China has made in all areas of human endeavour, there are still many obstacles and difficulties that this country faces.

Difficulties are facts and we should never stop thinking about difficulties. Difficulties need to be recognised, analysed and combated. There are no straight roads in the world; people must be prepared to follow a road which twists and turns and not try to get things on the cheap. While prospects are bright, the road has twists and turns. There are still many difficulties ahead which must not be overlooked.

Anyone who sees only the bright side but not the difficulties cannot fight effectively for the development of society. Anyone who thinks Zambia will develop by just cutting a few deals with the Chinese is dreaming.

The Chinese will not develop our country for us but can help us develop if we engage them beneficially. Cutting a few deals, and getting a few kickbacks, from corrupt Chinese businessmen and other citizens will not develop this country.

It cannot be denied that some of our leaders in government and the MMD thought by cutting a few deals with some corrupt Chinese businessmen, they owned the relationship between China and Zambia.

Things don’t work like that. Those rotten elements they are dealing with are not the ones who determine the foreign policy of China. Those are simply crooks like themselves. They may be in charge here but those corrupt Chinese characters they are dealing with are not in charge in China.

In life, it is very important to be clear about things. It is well known that when you do anything, unless you understand its actual circumstances, its nature and its relations to other things, you will not know the laws governing it, or know how to do it, or be able to do it well.

If we want to succeed in today and tomorrow’s world, we must bring our ideas into correspondence with the laws of the objective external world; if they do not correspond, we will fail in our efforts or endeavours.

It is important for our politicians, especially those in government, to correctly understand the nature of our country’s relationship with China. They shouldn’t be deceived by its appearance. The Chinese are very respectful and generous people.

And their humility and generosity can sometimes be misleading, especially to fools and corrupt elements who are in a hurry to corruptly enrich themselves. When we look at a thing, we must examine its essence and treat its appearance merely as an usher at the threshold, and once we cross the threshold, we must grasp the essence of the thing; this is the only reliable way of analysis.

In this world, things are complicated and are decided by many factors. We should look at issues from different aspects, not from just one. In approaching an issue, we should see the whole as well as the parts.

A frog in a well says, “The sky is no bigger than the mouth of the well.” That is untrue, for the sky is not just the size of the mouth of the well. If it said, “A part of the sky is the size of the mouth of the well”, that would be true, for it tallies with the facts.

We must learn to look at issues all-sidedly, seeing the reverse as well as the obverse side of things. In given conditions, a bad thing can lead to good results and a good thing to bad results.

We need China. Even those in the opposition that may think Zambia doesn’t need China may have to think twice. Zambia needs China and this needs no disquisition. What needs disquisition is the nature of our relationship or engagement with China. This is where our efforts should be directed. If we get it right, our country will be able to develop faster.

If we get it wrong, it will be another non-beneficial relationship. China is an objective reality of the world we live in. It is said that in seeking victory, those who direct a war cannot overstep the limitation imposed by the objective conditions; within these limitations, however, they can and must play a dynamic role in striving for victory.

The stage of action for commanders in a way must be built upon objective possibilities, but on that stage they can direct the performance of many a drama, full of sound and colour, power and grandeur.

We must adapt our thinking to the changed conditions in the world. Of course, no one should go off into wild flights of fancy, or make plans of action unwarranted by the objective situation, or stretch for the impossible.

Our problem is that many of our politicians consider it impossible to accomplish things which could be accomplished if they exerted themselves and as a result they resort to prostituting themselves and corruption. We should use our brains and think everything over carefully.

If we don’t, we will continue to mislead ourselves that the relationship our country has with China is owned by Rupiah and the MMD and if they lose power, Chinese investment will dry up.

We have been assured by the Chinese government that investors from China will continue flowing into Zambia regardless of who becomes president or which party wins this year’s elections. That’s how things stand and that’s how things will develop. Anything else is a lie.

Labels: CHINA, CHINESE, FDI

posted by MrK @ 6:23 PM