Relationship dossier
People's Republic of China
Zambia
Relationship assessment
Longstanding infrastructure and investment partnership, alongside friction over debt restructuring.
People's Republic of China toward Zambia
+50China provided financing and technical support for the Tanzania–Zambia Railway, and Chinese entities have invested in Zambia’s mining and infrastructure sectors. China also participated in negotiations to restructure Zambia’s debt through the official creditor process.
Zambia toward People's Republic of China
+45Zambia has welcomed Chinese investment and participated in bilateral infrastructure cooperation, including the Tanzania–Zambia Railway. The Zambian government also engaged with China as a creditor during negotiations to restructure the country’s debt.
Overall relationship
+50The relationship has an enduring development and infrastructure dimension, exemplified by the Tanzania–Zambia Railway and continued Chinese investment in Zambia. Cooperation on investment and debt matters is balanced by strains surrounding Zambia’s debt restructuring and creditor negotiations.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
China and Zambia have a longstanding partnership centered on infrastructure, investment, and development cooperation. China helped finance and build the Tanzania–Zambia Railway, and Chinese investment has been significant in Zambia’s mining and infrastructure sectors. Zambia has welcomed Chinese investment and cooperated with China on debt restructuring, though negotiations over Zambia’s debt have also created friction.
Areas of tension
- Negotiations over the restructuring of Zambia’s debt to Chinese creditors.
Key developments
China provided financing and support for construction of the Tanzania–Zambia Railway, a major joint infrastructure project involving Zambia and Tanzania.
China participated in the official creditor process to negotiate restructuring of Zambia’s debt.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope and implementation of bilateral infrastructure and investment agreements are unclear.
- Details of the terms and continuing implementation of Zambia’s debt restructuring with Chinese creditors are limited.