Author: Inyambo Mwanawina.

China, a country with a population of 1.3 billio n as of 2005 and covering 9.6 million square kilometres is one of the fastest growing giants in the world. Its annual real growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was reco rded at 10% in 2005. In the period 1993 to 2004 China’s annual GDP growth averaged 9.9%. In 2005, annu al inflation stood at 3.8% and per capita GDP averaged US$1,740. According to the World Ba nk Group, China is the fourth largest world economy after the United States, Japan and Germany. Zambia is one of the least develo ped countries in the world, despit e its rich mineral wealth. The country has a land area of 753,000 square kilo metres. The country’s total population was recorded at 9.9 million in 2000 which is projected at 11.1 million for 2005 using the 2000 census. Over the period, 1994 to 2004 the real GDP growth averaged 3.0%. In 2005 growth in the real GDP stood at 5.2% while annual inflati on was recorded at 15.9% and per capita real GDP of US$82. Formal sector employment averaged 0.5 million over the period 1993 to 2004. Whereas Zambia recorded significant recovery in the performance of key macroeconomic indicators apart from formal sector employment , China’s performance is more favourable in comparison to Zambia. The historical relationship between China an d Zambia dates back to the pre-independence period when the present day Zambia was then a pr otectorate of Great Britain. At the time the relationship was in the form of Chinese assi stance to one of the opposition parties which comprised of financial and material assistance. It may be observed that the historical engagement between China and Africa is rooted in a shared similar historical experience and struggle for national liberation and independence. Prof. Zeng Qiang of the Institute of Asian and African Studies divides this relations hip into three distinctive periods: The first episode is from 1949 to 1979 which focused on support to liberation or independence struggle and establishment of diplomatic missions, economic re -construction and consolidation of national independence. Chin a provided assistance to the liber ation or independence struggle and aid towards economic re-construction and c onsolidation of national independence while African countries provided support to China in the international arena, allowed China to establish diplomatic missions. Therefore, the political factor and ideology were the dominant factor explaining Africa-Chi na relationship in the period 1