ABSTRACT
In 1964, the former British colony of Northern Rhodesia became independent as the Republic of Zambia with Kenneth Kaunda of the United National Independence Party (UNIP) as President-elect. Politically, the new country faced a number of key problems vis-à-vis its neighbours as Zambian independence was looked upon by Southern African nationalists as providing an opportunity for a more favourable prosecution of their own liberation struggles whilst the Whiteruled states threatened action if Zambia refused to halt activity by African nationalists based in Lusaka. This clashed with Zambia’s own agenda of national development, regional liberation from minority rule and international independence (Shaw and Anglin, 1979; Notlutshungu, 1975). Economically, Zambia relied heavily on its copper resources and on White-ruled Rhodesia for most consumer goods (Elliott, 1971). The desire to break away from this, to develop Zambia’s economic character and increase Lusaka’s manoeuvrability, thus became a guiding light of Zambian foreign policy (Anglin and Shaw, 1979; Shaw, 1976; Burdette, 1984) and has been termed ‘the politics of disengagement’ (Tordoff, 1977). This resulted in the development of a close relationship with Beijing which aimed to utilise Zambia to increase its own manoeuvrability on a wider, global stage. Zambia was keen to develop linkages with the Black-ruled north, and the PRC, as a means by which it could gain influence and project its presence in the region, volunteered to help in this, as indicated by the TanZam rail project (Anglin, 1976).
Bilateral relations between the PRC and Zambia have traditionally been among the strongest in the region, and Zambia has been a valued friend of Beijing since the days of independence, though initially Zambia was reluctant to accept China’s advances. It is evident that China targeted Zambia for attention prior to independence, telegramming Kaunda three days before formal independence informing the President-elect of China’s decision to recognise Zambia (New China News Agency, October 23, 1964). One day after independence, Kaunda replied in the affirmative and Zambia and the PRC announced that diplomatic relations were effective from October 29, 1964 the Chinese embassy being opened in Lusaka in late November. As noted, initially, Kaunda preferred Western aid and was suspicious
