In China, Zambia's Hichilema eyes collaboration after tour of top tech firms

Zambia's President is in China this week at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart.

Business featured high on the agenda of Hakainde Hichilema's Shenzhen stop-off, with the leader visiting five leading companies over the course of two days.

Earlier this week, Hichilema toured the headquarters of top telecoms company Huawei, and was presented with a talent program which prepares young Zambians for a career in Information and Communication Technology also known as ICT .

"It was my first time to actually meet the president in person", Cyber security engineer Violet Nyakunzu said.

"I really wanted to encourage the youth to take on such ICT programs, especially females, because where I come from, a lot of females think ICT is a male-dominated industry and that's what shies them away. But you need to face your fears head-on."

Hichilema who will reportedly end his state visit on Saturday (Sep. 16), has high hopes on the impact of closer ties with China.

"We can do more, faster, because the needs are tremendous in Zambia. I heard some of the solutions are here. All we need to do is to combine the two together."

Zambi is building up its digital infrastructure to improve government efficiency and streamline the business environment.  

The southern African nation is the continent's second-largest producer of copper, a vital resource used in electric vehicle production, charging facilities, and solar panels. Working with a top Chinese EV and battery manufacturer like BYD could potentially see Zambia upgrading its mining resource exports and open up new opportunities in the global transition towards greener energy.

"If Zambia is interested in going electric in transportation, BYD stands ready to offer technological support. Developing EVs will make you less dependent on oil and reduce air pollution in cities. Most importantly, it increases the value of Zambia's copper resources," said Wang Chuanfu, the founder and CEO of BYD.