17 Mar 2013

Shoshong Member of Parliament Mr Phillip Makgalemele has informed Parliament that his motion calling for government to undertake an investigation on Chinese projects, business activities, scope of Chinese interests and their impact on Botswana’s economy was meant to safeguard the nation’s interests.

Responding to MPs debates before the motion was adopted, Mr Makgalemele said he had no intention whatsoever to cast the Chinese in bad light but was rather more concerned with ensuring that Botswana benefits from China’s involvement in the country’s economy.

Presenting the motion recently, MP Makgalemele had said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975, bilateral relations between China and Botswana had gone through smooth and upward development.

He had informed the house that economic and trade relations between the two had not only achieved satisfactory results but that the growth of trade volume had made headway and had room for further improvement.

Wrapping up the debate on the motion, Tswapong North MP Mr Prince Maele said there were divergent views on China’s involvement in Botswana and the whole of the African continent.

He said detractors of China’s presence in Africa were deeply concerned; expressing fears that the Asian country was on a course to re-colonise Africa.

For yet others, he said, misgivings on Chinese activities in the country were fueled by other foreign nations who prior to the increased Chinese involvement had made Botswana and other African countries their stronghold.

MP Maele noted however that those in support of China’s role in Botswana’s economy were appreciative of the Chinese’s contribution to the country’s technological as well as infrastructural development.

Before voicing his support for the motion, the MP moved an amendment, calling instead for government to undertake an investigation on Chinese projects, business activities, scope of Chinese interests and their impact on Botswana’s economy whereas initially the motion had sought parliament to request government to undertake a study on Chinese investments, business activities, scope of Chinese interests and their impact on Botswana’s economy.

Mr Maele was of the view that in its original state, the motion was too generalistic and was not necessarily focused on infrastructure development as MP Makgalemele had emphasised in his presentation.

He said undertaking a study on all Chinese investments across sectors would bring under the radar even those in which China’s involvement was limited.ENDS