2023-09-18 17:30:04
Peking (ots/PRNewswire) – China and Zambia announced on Friday their decision to upgrade bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperation partnership, with both sides highlighting their “deep” traditional friendship.
The move came during Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema’s seven-day state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The economy is high on the agenda as the African leader visited five companies in the first two days, including Yantian International Container Terminal, BYD, Huawei, Tencent and ZTE. He arrived in Beijing on Thursday.
During the two leaders’ conversation on Friday, Xi said China is willing to work with Zambia to transform the deep traditional friendship into a strong driving force for win-win cooperation in the new era and take bilateral relations to a new level to lift.
Win-win-Kooperation
The Tanzania-Zambia Railway, which traverses the vast savannah between Tanzania and Zambia, is a symbol of the Chinese people’s true friendship and sincere support for the people of Africa.
Back in the 1960s, when many countries and international organizations refused to help, China gave the project an interest-free loan of 988 million yuan with no strings attached. In addition, China sent a large amount of equipment and materials as well as experts for the construction, management and maintenance of the railway, as well as for training local technicians.
To date, both sides have expanded their investment and trade ties in many areas, with trade volume between the two countries reaching a record $6.73 billion in 2022, according to official data.
China hopes to jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative with Zambia and expand cooperation in infrastructure construction, agriculture, mining and clean energy to achieve common development and revitalization, Xi said in his meeting with Hichilema .
Xi added that China wants to bring more Zambian quality products to the Chinese market and support more Chinese companies to invest in Zambia.
The voice of the global south
China’s development has led to progress in countries of the Global South, strengthened their representation and voice in international affairs, and promoted the development of the international order in a fairer and more rational direction, Hichilema said on Friday, thanking China for supporting the African Union’s accession to the G20.
Zambia values the friendship forged by the older generations of leaders of both countries, the President said.
The Chinese-Zambian friendship dates back to the time when China actively supported the national liberation movement of southern Africa. On October 25, 1964, the second day of Zambian independence, the two countries established diplomatic relations.
During their conversation, Xi stressed that the traditional friendship forged by the two countries’ older generations of leaders has stood the test of time in the changing international landscape.
The Chinese president also called on the two countries to continue to practice true multilateralism, advocate for international fairness and justice, strengthen the voice of developing countries, and safeguard the common interests of the two countries and other developing countries.
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Simin Jiang,
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