Xi Jinping says China ready to join Zambia for new chapter of ties

China is ready to work with Zambia to advance respective modernization and write a new chapter for China-Zambia friendly relations, said Chinese President Xi Jinping when meeting with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema in Beijing on Wednesday.

Hichilema is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Noting this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Zambia, Xi said both countries should take this summit as an opportunity to jointly advance their respective modernization and make a good start, and write a new chapter for bilateral friendly relations.

Xi said mutual trust between both countries has been continuously enhanced, and mutually beneficial cooperation has yielded fruitful results since the two countries jointly announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership last year.

The two sides should continue to intensify exchanges at all levels, strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, deepen political mutual trust, firmly support each other, expand practical cooperation and strengthen international coordination, Xi said. 

China is willing to share development opportunities with Zambia and encourage more enterprises to actively participate in Zambia's new energy, water resources development, electricity and other fields to help Zambia and Africa's industrialization and modernization process, Xi added.

Noting Zambia played an important role in the establishment of the FOCAC in 2000, Xi said China is ready to work with Zambia and other African countries to make the summit a complete success and inject new impetus into China-Zambia and China-Africa relations.

Speaking of his visit to China last year, Hichilema said the cooperation between both countries has made important progress since then. 

Feeling honored to witness the signing of the memorandum of understanding on the revitalization project of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway with Xi, Hichilema said that will continue the friendship forged by the older generation of leaders of the two countries and build a new channel for Africa-China connectivity.

Zambia firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to comprehensively deepen cooperation with China and continuously upgrade the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, Hichilema said, adding that Zambia welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in Zambia.

Noting China is committed to promoting peace talks and has played an important and constructive role in promoting global peace and stability, Hichilema said Zambia appreciates China's outstanding leadership in international affairs and is willing to work closely with China on multilateral cooperation.