China
ZAMBIA-CHINA RELATIONS KEY FIGURES
| TAZARA Revitalisation | Jiangxi MFEZ Investment | China’s Share of FDI Stock (2024) | Copper Export Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| USD 1.4 billion | USD 128+ million | Top 5 source | Predominant final market |
China is one of Zambia’s five largest sources of foreign direct investment, financing projects spanning the USD 1.4 billion TAZARA railway revitalisation, the Zambia-China Mulungushi Textiles plant reopening, and Multi-Facility Economic Zone investments including the Jiangxi zone in Chibombo, worth more than USD 128 million.
China is also the predominant final destination for Zambian copper exports, even though the Bank of Zambia notes that Switzerland leads as the largest reported destination by trading company location, reflecting where Zambia’s copper traders are based rather than the metal’s ultimate market.
Rail and Infrastructure
Zambia, Tanzania and China signed a USD 1.4 billion TAZARA Revitalisation Agreement on September 29, 2025, under which China Civil Engineering Construction Company will rehabilitate more than 1,800 kilometres of rail track running from New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, under a 31-year freight concession[1].
Manufacturing and Industrial Zones
President Hakainde Hichilema officially reopened the Zambia-China Mulungushi Textiles Plant in Kabwe following a three-year revitalisation process involving the Industrial Development Corporation and Chinese partners, positioned by the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry as a flagship of the National Industrial Policy in action[2]. In the Multi-Facility Economic Zones, the Jiangxi Multi-Facility Economic Zone in Chibombo has attracted more than USD 128 million in investment in battery production and recycling and copper cable manufacturing, creating over 1,100 jobs, while China Jiangsu International Corporation partnered with the National Housing Authority to build a prefabricated concrete panel housing factory in the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone[3][4].
Foreign Direct Investment and Trade
China was among the five largest source countries for Zambia’s foreign direct investment liability stock in 2024, alongside Canada, the British Virgin Islands, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, which together accounted for 64.2% of the total, with investment concentrated in mining[6]. Switzerland was the leading reported destination for Zambia’s copper exports in the fourth quarter of 2024, though the Bank of Zambia notes this reflects where Zambia’s copper traders are based rather than the metal’s final destination, which is predominantly Asia and specifically China[5].
Investment Opportunities
The scale of Chinese-linked investment already committed, from the TAZARA concession to the Jiangxi and Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone projects and the Mulungushi Textiles revitalisation, points to an active, multi-sector investment relationship spanning transport, manufacturing and housing rather than a single dominant channel, detailed further on the dedicated Transport, Industry and Real Estate pages[1][2][3][4].
Last Update: September 2026
References
- Ministry of Transport and Logistics, TAZARA: New Life, New Hope
- Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, President Hichilema Reopens Zambia-China Mulungushi Textiles in Historic Industrial Milestone
- Ministry of Finance and National Planning, 2026 Budget Speech
- Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, Zambia’s Housing Vision Begins to Materialise
- Bank of Zambia, Direction of Trade Report, Fourth Quarter 2024
- Bank of Zambia, Zambia Statistics Agency and Zambia Development Agency, Foreign Private Investment and Investor Perceptions in Zambia, 2025
