Ignore anti-China propaganda – Edgar Lungu

President Edgar Lungu says contraction of debt from China is necessary to support his government’s ambitious agenda of making Zambia a middle income country by the year 2030.

Officially opening the third session of the 12th National Assembly under the theme ‘Working Together to Achieve Vision 2030‘ today, President struck a defiant tone in the face of international and media reports that the country is at risk of losing it strategic national assets to China due to debt.

The Head of State urged Zambians to ignore such reports, saying “Our friendship with China is mutual and no amount of malicious propaganda will deter us from the opportunities that lie in what we share.

“I wish to implore you you Country men and women to ignore misleading headlines that seek to malign our friendship with China by mischaracterising our economic cooperation to mean colonialism.”

He allayed fears of a new Chinese colonialism, remarking “China does not have such a record!”

“I want to emphasise that all forms of bilateral cooperation with China are and will always be informed on the noble focus on the need to build supporting infrastructure for our people to have sound and sustainable livelihoods,” President Lungu said.

And in apparent reference to the ongoing ‘East versus West trade war’ where Zambia has found itself caught in the middle, President stressed that Zambia’s friendship with China is not dependant on making enemies with other nations.

“We are friends with the World; friends with Countries within the AU, SADC, with the United Kingdom, with the United States of America…,” he said, adding “We shall choose our own friends with our own terms and that does not mean appeasing anyone with unjustified enmity with others.”

“We are fully conscious as a nation that we need to uplift the living standards of our people…..and it is this understanding which guide our bilateral engagements with our friends.”