Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Thursday held talks with President of the Republic of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema in Lusaka, Zambia's capital, with both sides pledging to deepen cooperation in multiple areas.
Li arrived in Lusaka on Wednesday for an official visit to the African country.
During the talks, Li conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings and best wishes to President Hichilema.
Li noted that China and Zambia are good brothers, good friends, and good partners. Last year, President Xi met with President Hichilema during the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), providing new guidance for deepening bilateral relations, he said.
China is willing to work with Zambia to further consolidate political mutual trust, firmly support each other's core interests and major concerns, continuously enrich the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, jointly advance the cause of modernization, and build an even closer China-Zambia community with a shared future, Li said.
Li said that China stands ready to work with Zambia to seize the opportunity presented by the implementation of zero-tariff measures in Zambia to expand bilateral trade, explore cooperation potential in mining, new energy vehicles, and artificial intelligence, and strengthen cooperation in areas benefiting people's livelihoods, such as healthcare and agriculture. He also called on both sides to deepen exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, tourism, and other fields.
Describing the revitalization of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway as a common aspiration of the people of the three countries, Li called on the three sides to strengthen policy coordination, and jointly carry out subsequent comprehensive development to drive better development of the countries and regions along the route.
China and Zambia should strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation, and work with other countries in the Global South to oppose hegemonism and bloc confrontation, and to defend their common interests, said the Chinese premier.
While asking Li to convey his cordial greetings and best wishes to President Xi, Hichilema said Zambia will firmly uphold the one-China principle and is willing to expand cooperation with China in economy, trade, culture and other fields.
The Zambian side will do a good job in the follow-up work of activating the Tanzania-Zambia Railway, implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, and promote the building of a Zambia-China community with a shared future, he said.
Following the talks, Li and Hichilema jointly witnessed the signing of cooperation documents on the Belt and Road Initiative, people-to-people exchanges, green minerals, media and other fields.
Chinese premier holds talks with Zambian president on bilateral ties
Chinese premier holds talks with Zambian president on bilateral ties
