Museveni deepens Uganda-China alliance

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President Yoweri Museveni has praised China as one of Uganda’s most dependable international partners, signalling Kampala’s continued commitment to deepening economic and political ties with Beijing at a time when global power competition is increasingly shaping Africa’s diplomatic landscape.

The remarks came during a meeting at State House Entebbe on May 14 with Losang Jamcan, a special envoy sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping following Museveni’s recent inauguration ceremony.

According to a State House press statement issued through the Uganda Media Centre, the envoy delivered President Xi’s congratulatory message and reaffirmed China’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Uganda.

China has become one of Uganda’s most influential economic partners over the past two decades, financing or supporting major infrastructure projects including roads, energy facilities and industrial developments. Chinese companies have also expanded investments across sectors, ranging from construction and telecommunications to manufacturing.

President Museveni used the meeting to underline the importance Uganda places on that relationship.

“I want to thank His Excellency Xi Jinping for sending you here. We are very happy with China, especially after opening your market to zero-tax access. Many Chinese companies are now investing in Uganda,” Museveni said.

Zero-tax access refers to trade arrangements that allow certain Ugandan products to enter Chinese markets without import duties, potentially making Ugandan exports more competitive. For a country seeking to industrialise and expand exports, access to China’s vast consumer market carries major economic significance.

Museveni also stressed that Uganda’s ties with China are not recent or purely transactional.

“We have been working with China for a very long time. Our leaders interacted with China even during the struggle for freedom. For more than 70 years, we have been together with the new China,” he said.

For China, Uganda remains strategically important as Beijing continues expanding influence across Africa through trade, infrastructure financing and diplomatic partnerships.

Losang praised Museveni’s leadership and described Uganda as a country that had made “significant progress in peace, stability and development” under his administration.

“We listened to your remarks and found them very impressive. Under your leadership, Uganda has followed a path of independence and achieved tremendous progress in peace and development,” he said.

The Chinese envoy also noted that relations between Kampala and Beijing had strengthened under both Museveni and Xi Jinping.

“China is ready to continue working with Uganda to implement the outcomes of our cooperation and further strengthen our partnership,” he said.

Beyond economics, the discussions also touched on wider geopolitical issues.

According to the statement, the Chinese envoy commended Museveni’s position on global conflicts, particularly Uganda’s support for dialogue and peaceful engagement in addressing tensions in the Middle East.

Museveni said Uganda had resisted pressure from various global powers to take sides on the Iran issue during its current tenure as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, instead advocating diplomacy over confrontation.

The Non-Aligned Movement, commonly known as NAM, is a grouping of countries that historically sought to avoid formally aligning with major global power blocs. Uganda currently chairs the organisation, a role that has increased its diplomatic visibility on international issues.

For ordinary Ugandans, the growing Uganda-China relationship is often felt most directly through infrastructure projects, investment activity and trade opportunities. Supporters argue Chinese financing has accelerated development projects that might otherwise have taken much longer to complete.