Xu Wei, deputy director of the Africa Research Institute at Zhejiang Normal University, argued in a Huanqiu.com opinion piece that cooperation with China can help Botswana's economic transformation. She also noted structural limits such as a small market and water scarcity.
According to Xu, Botswana gained independence in 1966 and the Orapa diamond mine was found the next year, after which it built a system that channels mineral revenue through the state budget into infrastructure, education and health. She credits negotiation with foreign mining firms for the national share and stable administration for turning revenue into public investment. She cautions that the shorthand ‘few people, many diamonds’ overlooks the water, transport and service costs of a large, arid territory.
광고 문의 · 300×250Limits of diamond dependence and links to China
The article cites a 2025 International Monetary Fund assessment saying the diamond slump underscores the urgency of diversification. In the 2024 election, the Democratic Party, which had ruled for 58 years, lost to the opposition UDC coalition and power changed hands peacefully. President Duma Boko made a state visit to China from October 12 to 17.
In an interview Xinhua published on October 11, Boko spoke of technology for value-added processing and manufacturing, more citrus exports to China, digital transformation, and cooperation on renewable energy, storage and power infrastructure. He also welcomed China's zero-tariff measure for 53 African countries with diplomatic ties.
According to China's foreign ministry readout of the October 13 talks, Xi Jinping and Boko upgraded relations to a ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’ and witnessed the signing of documents on green minerals, health and human resources. Xi set out four proposals on China-Africa mining cooperation, including that African resources belong to Africa and that local value addition should grow, while Boko said Botswana adheres to the one-China principle.
Expectations and caveats
Xu suggests cooperation on mining training and processing capacity, cold-chain and disease-control systems for farming and livestock, and technology transfer that lets local institutions maintain equipment. Joint ventures, she says, should prioritize joint governance, local procurement, staff training and community consultation. She also warns that the traditional kgotla forum is not free of gender, age and ethnic hierarchies.
These are Chinese official statements and a Chinese scholar's view; Botswana's domestic assessments and third-party perspectives cannot be confirmed from these materials alone. Investment size, timelines and local job effects were not given in the coverage.
