Zambia's government accused the opposition on Friday of fuelling "xenophobic" attacks on Chinese nationals after a spate of violent incidents targeting the community and its businesses.

Anti-Chinese sentiment in Zambia has grown as the government increasingly hands lucrative contracts to the country while borrowing huge sums from Beijing.

Vice President Inonge Wina told parliament that "xenophobic attacks on Chinese (are) politically motivated because of the utterances that politicians make".

Her intervention follows sporadic rioting in the towns of Buchi and Kawama this week when millers took to the streets to protest after rumours that a Zambian timber company had been sold to Chinese buyers.

Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo blamed opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema for that unrest which erupted on Monday.

"(Hichilema) made slanderous and untruthful statements... that culminated in the looting of businesses owned by Chinese," Kampyongo told parliament.

Last month youths looted Chinese shops in the northern mining town of Kitwe after a Chinese employee accidentally shot a Zambian worker.

"There are riots that start at universities and other learning institutions but those against the Chinese are politically motivated," added Wina.

"I therefore stick to my statement that there are xenophobic attacks against Chinese."

Mozambique opens $785 mn Chinese bridge
Maputo (AFP) Nov 10, 2018 - Mozambique's President Filipe Nyusi opened a Chinese-built bridge in the capital Maputo on Saturday that cost $785 million, saying it would help link northern and southern Africa.

The twin-tower suspension bridge stands 141 metres (463 feet) above Maputo Bay, is 680 metres-long and joins the city centre to the outlying district of Katembe.

"Today is a unique day of our history, the achievement of the dream of (former president) Samora Machel," Nyusi said at a rally following the inauguration.

"With the completion of this bridge... the connection of southern Africa to the north over land and across our country is guaranteed."

The bridge, which connects the north and south banks of Maputo that were previously linked only by boat, would help promote tourism, Nyusi said.

It will also directly link the capital to the border of neighbouring South Africa by road for the first time.

He described China, whose Road and Bridge Corporation began construction in June 2014, as a "brother and friend" of Mozambique.

China's ambassador to Maputo Su Jian attended the opening and described Mozambique as a foreign policy priority for Beijing.

Ninety-five percent of the bridge's cost was financed through loans provided by Chinese lenders.

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