China is willing to share the fine tradition of friendly cooperation with Zambia to grasp and promote bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed on Saturday.

President Xi made the remarks when meeting with Zambian President Edgar Lungu, who is in Beijing to attend the upcoming 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Xi said Zambia is the first southern African nation to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. The Chinese government and people have always cherished the special friendship with Zambia.

He hoped the two countries could continue to understand and support on issues of each other's core interests and major concerns.

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway is an enduring monument to Sino-Zambian and Sino-African friendship, Xi added.

The Chinese president noted the two sides should enhance cooperation to make it more vigorous in the new historical period.

Xi said the two countries should deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, expand cultural exchanges, and prepare for next year's 55th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between China and Zambia.

He also expressed the hope that the two countries strengthen coordination and cooperation on major international and regional issues and safeguard the common interests of developing countries. 

Lungu said Zambia cherishes the friendship established on the basis of sincerity and equality between the two countries. 

He appreciated China for its great help especially the assistance in the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway.

The Zambian president added Zambia has confidence in China's development and is willing to work with China to jointly build the Belt and Road, expand cooperation in various field under the framework of FOCAC, promote the development of the African continent and the relevant sub-regions of Africa and jointly push forward a closer community with a shared future for China and Africa.

The two leaders later witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral cooperation documents.