CHINESE, ZAMBIANS SHOULD PARTNER - DC
CHINESE and Zambians should partner in various business venture so that they can understand each other and reduce on hostility, Kitwe District Commissioner Binwell Mpundu has advised. Mr Mpundu said if Chinese and Zambians formed strong business partnerships, the two peoples would understand each other and enjoy a cordial relationship.
Mr Mpundu said in an interview yesterday that he met with Chinese Political Counsellor Lai Bo and the Director of General of General Office of Chinese Embassy Zhao Min at the weekend.
He said during the meeting, the Chinese Political Counsellor said the Chinese Embassy was not happy that the lives of the Chinese nationals were being threatened following the recent riots in Kitwe.
“We had a meeting with Mr Lai and clearly stated that they were fearing for the lives of Chinese nationals who were being subjected to some form of xenophobic attacks. They also complained that in some instances the police were taking too long to come to their rescue.
“During the same meeting, we also proposed some measures which could help to improve the relationship between the Chinese and Zambians. We proposed that Chinese should consider partnering with Zambians in their businesses,’’ Mr Mpundu said.
Mr Mpundu proposed that Chinese investors should upscale their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes so that Zambians could feel that they were benefiting from the Chinese investment.
He however said he was impressed that some Chinese investors had been trying to reach out to the vulnerable in various communities and even drilling boreholes where people were in need of water.
Mr Mpundu said Zambians should think of how to derive maximum benefits from the Chinese instead of demonising them.
“Chinese are financially and technologically superior. We cannot be thinking of chasing them. The best way is to find ways of maximising benefits from them. We need to talk to them on issues which we are not comfortable with as Zambians,’’ he said
Mr Mpundu said the Chinese had been trying their best in terms of CSR, but it was sad that out of hatred, some people want to incite Zambians to rise against the Chinese.