China actually has the hang of this "democracy" thing

[Cain]

In other countries, at least:

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2011/0928/Zambia-s-new-President-Sata-sets-new-mining-rules-for-China

"What is weird is that I got two pay slips," Mwaba tells the Monitor. "It looks like the Chinese had prepared for any outcome of the election by printing two pay slips for us for the month of September. If the incumbent Movement for Multi party Democracy MMD had won the presidential election, we would have been paid old meager salaries. But we got almost double the money because the opposition Patriotic Front led by Michael Sata won the election."

As the largest copper producing country in Africa – some $2 billion worth by the end of 2010 – Zambia is more than just another landlocked African country to the People's Republic of China, a country whose ongoing economic expansion have made it the world's largest copper consumer. Sata's victory has been seen by many as a sign of growing disaffection among Zambian voters who felt that Zambia was not getting a fair share of the mineral deals signed by previous Zambian governments. Some business leaders here fretted that Sata's rhetoric might scare off foreign investment. But for now, the general mood is one of rapprochement, with Sata voicing moderation and Chinese investors promising good corporate behavior.

No threats, overt or covert on the Chinese side.  No backroom deals I can find evidence of, nor financing of preferred parties.

Wow.  China is actually living up to its "respecting sovereignty" rhetoric.  That is going to win them a LOT of friends, especially in Africa.

[Prince Glittersnatch III]

Sometimes honesty really is the best policy.

[Freeky]

Somebody isn't acting like a sneaky dick?    Wow.  Good on them.

[deadfong]

I wonder if the promise of "good corporate behavior" will include instructing the managers at the copper mines to stop shooting the miners.

[Placid Dingo]

I wonder if the promise of "good corporate behavior" will include instructing the managers at the copper mines to stop shooting the miners.

They dont shoot their own miners silly, that would be silly. They shoot the illegal miners exclusively.

[Freeky]

I wonder if the promise of "good corporate behavior" will include instructing the managers at the copper mines to stop shooting the miners.

I knew there was something missing from the picture.  There wasn't enough evil in it.

[East Coast Hustle]

I wonder if the promise of "good corporate behavior" will include instructing the managers at the copper mines to stop shooting the miners.

[Placid Dingo]

Yeah, I saw the Z and Africa and was thinking of Zimbabwe. I would be unsurprised to see the same in Zambia, but I'll back away from this one.

[Cain]

I wonder if the promise of "good corporate behavior" will include instructing the managers at the copper mines to stop shooting the miners.

There was an incident last year of a Chinese manager shooting several people.

However, I very much doubt it is official policy.  In fact, if the Zambian authorities haven't already dealt with him, then I am sure the CCP will.  China needs copper.  It doesn't need gun-toting idiots threatening their investments.

[deadfong]

I wonder if the promise of "good corporate behavior" will include instructing the managers at the copper mines to stop shooting the miners.

It's on page two of the article in the OP, but I'd heard about it long before now because my wife follows all things Zambian (she spent the first dozen or so years of her life there).

[East Coast Hustle]

Well then, you're probably much better informed than I am. Consider your word taken.

[Jenne]

The Chinese businessmen would do well to curry favor in the area where they have been literally SETTING UP SHOP for several years.