China’s Africa affairs chief to visit debt-hit Zambia days after Xi Jinping call with president

Wu Peng, the Chinese foreign ministry’s Africa affairs chief, is on a multi-nation tour of Sub-Saharan Africa

President Xi Jinping on May 31 held phone call with Zambian counterpart Hakainde Hichilema, who is banking on Chinese help for debt relief

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Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema (right) receives the symbolic key to the China-funded Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Centre from Chinese ambassador Du Xiaohui, in Lusaka on May 31. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 12:00pm, 12 Jun 2022

China’s top official for Africa is headed to Zambia next week, just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping held phone talks with his counterpart from the debt-hit nation.

Wu Peng, director general of the Chinese foreign ministry’s African affairs department, is currently in South Africa during a tour of the continent that will also take him to Malawi, Tanzania, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Togo.

“I hope that this trip will deepen friendly exchange and practical cooperation in various areas between China and African countries,” Wu tweeted on Tuesday.

Less than two weeks ago, Xi held his first telephone call with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema where he hailed the two nations’ “all-weather” friendship and reiterated Beijing’s commitment to “consolidate and deepen” bilateral ties.

Hichilema, who took office last August, raised the issue of his country’s debt crisis during the May 31 call. In a statement posted on his official Facebook page later, he said the two leaders discussed the potential for greater cooperation and their “shared commitment to working together to address and resolve the debt issue”.

However, a readout of the call released by the Chinese foreign ministry made no mention of this.

Nonetheless, debt remains a key focus in bilateral relations. China holds the largest share of bilateral loans advanced to Zambia, which has been seeking help to restructure its debt.