Zambia cancels digital rights summit over China Taiwan tension

The News

Zambia has canceled a major global digital rights summit due to take place in Lusaka next week, after local reports of pressure from Chinese authorities over the participation of Taiwanese activists at the event.

Organizers of RightsCon this week advised international participants not to travel for the May 5–8 gathering. Zambia’s technology minister said the decision stemmed from unresolved administrative and security clearances affecting some invited speakers. But rights groups and local media pointed to geopolitical sensitivities around Taiwan’s presence, given Lusaka’s deep economic ties with China.

The disruption also forced UNESCO to significantly scale back its World Press Freedom Day conference, which had been scheduled alongside RightsCon in Lusaka. Under a “last minute information” notice, the agency said its flagship press freedom prize ceremony would instead be moved to its Paris headquarters and held at a later date.

The twin setbacks mark a high-profile interruption for what was expected to be one of Africa’s largest convenings of activists, policymakers and tech companies focused on online rights, surveillance, and platform governance.

Know More

Across Africa, debates over digital rights have intensified in recent years as governments expand their control over online spaces. Issues range from internet shutdowns during elections or protests to the growing use of surveillance technologies and restrictive cybercrime laws. Countries such as Ethiopia, Uganda, and Nigeria have all faced criticism from civil society groups for limiting online freedoms at key political moments, raising concerns about freedom of expression and access to information.

China has become a central player in this landscape, both as a major investor in African infrastructure and as an exporter of digital governance models. Through telecom partnerships, smart city projects, and financing, Beijing has helped shape parts of the continent’s digital ecosystem — sometimes prompting warnings from rights advocates about the potential spread of more state-centric approaches to internet control.

The sensitivities surrounding Taiwan stem from the long-running dispute between Beijing and Taiwan. Under the “One China” principle, the government of the People’s Republic of China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and strongly opposes any form of international recognition or official engagement with Taiwanese representatives. Countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Beijing, including Zambia, generally avoid hosting or endorsing activities that could be interpreted as recognizing Taiwan’s sovereignty.

Step Back

China is Zambia’s largest bilateral creditor and a dominant source of infrastructure finance. Estimates suggest Zambia owes Chinese lenders around a third of its external debt after taking on a spate of Chinese-backed projects spanning roads, airports, energy and telecoms networks. From 2000 to 2022 alone, Beijing directed about $13.9 billion in loans and grants to more than 200 projects in the country, underscoring the scale of its footprint.

The View From Washington

Andrew Friedman, director for the Human Rights Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies said he was supposed to head to Lusaka this weekend for RightsCon until it was cancelled it.“The cancellation lands three months before Zambia’s national elections, amid mounting evidence of democratic erosion, including new cyber surveillance laws and increased harassment of journalists,” said Friedman. “This combination of influence from Beijing and democratic backsliding is worrisome, particularly as the country, and President Hichilema, were heralded as democratic “bright spots” by the Biden Administration and provided significant and targeted assistance to ensure that “democracy delivers.”