As part of the realization that it is a "knowledge and technology transfer" approach that helped China become one of the major global economies, the Asian giant is employing training as one of the vital ways of skill and technology transfer to Africans.

Local training

In Zambia, some Chinese companies are providing training to its local employees mostly through formal programs such as mentoring and on-the-job training. For these reasons, Chinese investments in Zambia's key economic sectors have continued to change people's lives, especially the youth, with many direct and indirect jobs created.

Recently, Minister of National Development and Planning Alexander Chiteme reiterated his call to Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Jie to encourage Chinese companies operating in the country to transfer skills to locals.

"What we want to see as Zambians is skills being transferred from Chinese nationals and imparted to our people, so that we can learn and enrich our skills," said Chiteme.

Nestled at the edge of Chongwe District 50 km east of Lusaka City is Zhongyang Eco-Agriculture Industry Park, a Chinese-owned agriculture and construction company. Apparently, Chongwe is home to some other Chinese businesses that contribute immensely to Zambia's agriculture and construction industries, key economic sectors which have since benefited many people in terms of employment creation in the area.

Zhongyang Eco-Agriculture Industry Park Administrative Manager Fredrick Sashi is one among many local workers who appreciates the value of skills and technology transfer by foreign entities to its employees.

Interestingly, the Chinese company was recently left in Sashi's hands when its directors returned to China during the Chinese New Year celebrations early this year. Their prolonged stay in China following the outbreak of COVID-19 in that country did not disrupt operations in Zambia because Sashi had acquired the appropriate management skills.

Sashi told ChinAfrica that it was an amazing achievement and a boost to his career prospects being delegated to manage the company's finances and operations.

"For me, the responsibility was timely because I had already been groomed to do the job by my Chinese managers. Apart from that, it's an excellent experience when you get entrusted by foreign investors to manage the company's operations on their behalf," he said.

Sashi, who is an accountant by profession, stated that having been at the helm of the company and coordinated its financial transactions for about 20 months was enlightening as he had gained valuable skills in using Chinese apps to communicate and carry out monetary transactions more efficiently.

Mutual benefits

But it is not knowledge transfer alone that is mutually benefitting Zambia and China. Recently, there has been more technology transfer of vital knowledge diffusion from Chinese companies to local members of staff. This has been in the form of machinery and production processes and models among others.

For instance, Hongsen Investment is another Chinese company involved in recycling plastic waste materials into finished household products such as dishes, cups, brooms and hangers.

Hongsen Company Administration Officer Thandiwe Chaaba said they are creating value out of plastic waste material by contributing to job creation and environmental sustainability.

"This plant here uses unique technology because it was one of the first to be established in the country and I believe its operators, who are mostly locals, have learnt the value of such equipment not only to help sustain the environment, but also to create jobs in the community," said Chaaba, who is also a Mandarin/English translator at the company.

Francis Kabaso, 42, works at Chinese company CAMCO Equipment (Zambia) Ltd., known for its supply of durable and affordable agricultural equipment in the country.

As CAMCO's Operations Manager, Kabaso coordinates the company's outlets countrywide through the supply of state-of-the-art agricultural equipment in line with the goal to scale up agriculture productivity in the country.

Kabaso said that during the course of his duties, he has learnt how technology transfer is key to national industrialization. If it is well harnessed, local workers who have been taught how to operate certain equipment can easily pass on the technical skills to future generations, a catalyst to national emancipation, he said.

Meanwhile, China-Africa Cotton (CAC) is one of the first Chinese cotton companies to enter the African market. CAC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China-Africa Cotton Developed Ltd., and has become an integrated enterprise including cotton seed planting, cotton ginning, sales and cooking oil production, based on excellent cotton growing conditions in Africa.

CAC has contributed greatly to technology upgrades in Zambia's textile industry through the introduction of improved seed varieties and cost-efficient chemical products. This has meant an increase in productivity in cotton production. CAC's goal is to form a complete industry chain, including cotton planting, ginning and spinning as well as oil production.

"We will take advantage of our cutting-edge technology and efficient management skills to provide good products and service to all our clients," CAC Chairman Wang Chuanguan said recently.

While it may be too early to measure the significant role technology and knowledge transfer from China to Zambia is playing in shaping its development agenda, experiences in Zambia and other growing economies on the continent point to a mutually beneficial outlook.

(Reporting from Zambia)

(Print Edition Title: Transferring Opportunities)

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