The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) appears to have softened its posture towards China. A recent visit to Beijing by a party delegation displayed a markedly warmer tone than criticism previously expressed by figures associated with the coalition and its election-monitoring arm, Madibelatlhopho.
According to a report published this week by the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, a UDC delegation led by Deputy Minister of Communications and Innovation Shawn Ntlhaile met CPC Vice-Minister Ma Hui in Beijing on September 22.
During the meeting, Ma said the CPC was prepared to ‘maintain close inter-party exchanges with the UDC, enhance political mutual trust’ and ‘continue to firmly support each other on issues involving respective core interests and major concerns.’
The Chinese report further quoted Ntlhaile as praising China’s development record, saying the UDC ‘regards the CPC as a true partner’ and was ready to learn from the ruling party’s experience in governance and state administration. Ntlhaile also reportedly expressed a desire to strengthen cooperation with China in economic and trade matters, science and technology, as well as cultural exchanges.
The remarks stand in contrast to statements made by prominent Madibelatlhopho leader Michael Keakopa in 2025, when he publicly raised concerns with Chinese Ambassador Fan Yang over the conduct of some Chinese companies operating in Botswana.
At the time, Keakopa said concerns had been raised regarding alleged corruption linked to major projects awarded to Chinese contractors, the exclusion of local companies from economic opportunities, and the quality of some infrastructure projects delivered by Chinese firms
For much of the period before and after the 2024 General Election, Madibelatlhopho positioned itself as one of the most vocal critics of what it described as the close relationship between the former Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) government and Chinese business and political interests.
UDC electoral watchdog repeatedly linked alleged corruption in public procurement to Chinese contractors that secured major government infrastructure projects during the BDP era.
Madibelatlhopho argued that Botswana’s relationship with China had become skewed in favour of politically connected foreign companies at the expense of local businesses and taxpayers. They alleged that large-scale construction and infrastructure tenders awarded to Chinese firms were often associated with inflated costs, poor value for money and the marginalisation of citizen-owned contractors.
Madibelatlhopho has also repeatedly amplified longstanding allegations that elements within the former BDP leadership benefited politically from close ties with Chinese business interests. The group cited historic claims that the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese-linked entities had provided various forms of support to the BDP over the years.
The watchdog further accused some Chinese business figures operating in Botswana of seeking to preserve influence accumulated during the previous administration. In social media statements and public commentary, Madibelatlhopho warned against what it described as attempts to cultivate relationships with the new government in order to protect commercial interests established under former president Mokgweetsi Masisi’s administration.
These concerns extended to government-to-government agreements. Madibelatlhopho publicly questioned several major Botswana-China cooperation arrangements signed after the 2024 election, arguing that lawmakers should scrutinise such agreements carefully to ensure they served national interests and did not perpetuate what the group viewed as a flawed procurement system inherited from the previous administration.