12 Oct 2026

Botswana is looking to leverage its 50- year diplomatic relationship with China to drive trade and investment, with a major focus on establishing an e-mobility hub, press secretary to the President, Ms Emang Bokhutlo-Mutapati has said.

Speaking in an interview ahead of the Botswana-China Business Forum to be held in Beijing, China Thursday, Ms Bokhutlo-Mutapati explained that Botswana had already identified a site for its ambitious e-mobility project.

"Botswana is looking to establish itself as an e-mobility hub. Already, plans are afoot, a place has been identified around Serorome Valley (along Tropic of Capricon area) to set up an e-mobility hub in terms of producing components for e-mobility and even for assembly," she said.

Ms Bokhutlo-Mutapati labelled China a natural partner for the transformation, given its global leadership in electric vehicle technology.

“China has got the expertise, China has got the technology and this is going to be very significant,” she said.

 Ms Bokhutlo-Mutapati said President Advocate Duma Boko, who was in Fuzhou in Fujian Province, yesterday, had visited Project 3820, a celebrated Chinese development blueprint that was done in phased manner and had transformed Fuzhou over the past 30 years, from a struggling economy into a modern, sustainable city anchored on electric mobility.

Botswana is looking to do a similar project, so it is very good to collaborate and benchmark, Ms Bokhutlo-Mutapati said.

She added that Botswana and China were expected to sign Memoranda of Understanding in areas including media, health and trade.

However, she said the major highlight of the visit would be the Botswana-China Business Forum and Exhibition.

"Approximately 30 companies had confirmed by the time we left Botswana and 100 companies from the Chinese side had confirmed to attend. So, it is going to be a very good business networking time," said Ms Bokhutlo-Mutapati

President Boko will use the forum to make a strong pitch for investment that benefits Botswana.

As he has always said, the value chain should be in Botswana, the beneficiation should be in Botswana as well, Ms Bokhutlo-Mutapati said. ENDS