Forge closer ties with Zambia, says Li

Premier Li Qiang has called on Beijing and Lusaka to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, join hands on the path toward modernization, and build a closer China-Zambia community with a shared future.

Li made the remarks on Thursday during his talks with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. He arrived in Zambia's capital of Lusaka on Wednesday for an official visit to the African country, after attending the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Moscow, the capital of Russia.

Noting that both countries are good brothers, good friends and good partners, Li said that China is willing to further consolidate political mutual trust with Zambia, firmly support each other's core interests and major concerns, and continuously enrich the connotation of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

He expressed China's willingness to use the implementation of the zero-tariff initiative in Zambia as an opportunity to expand bilateral trade, and explore the potential for cooperation in industries such as mining, new energy vehicles and artificial intelligence.

Li also called for strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas related to people's livelihoods, such as healthcare, agriculture and human resources development, to enhance people's sense of fulfillment from China-Zambia collaboration, as well as in judicial, police and law enforcement fields to reinforce security support for the countries' cooperation.

While saying that the revitalization of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway is a shared aspiration of the peoples of China, Tanzania and Zambia, the premier called on the three parties to jointly develop this landmark Belt and Road project with high quality, strengthen policy coordination and work together on subsequent comprehensive development to drive better growth for countries and regions along the route.

Li emphasized that unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, severely impacting the international system and the world economy. He underlined the need for both countries to intensify multilateral coordination and cooperation, work together with other countries of the Global South to uphold the international economic and trade order and defend their common interests.

Hichilema said that Zambia firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and steadfastly supports the just cause of the Chinese people in opposing "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and striving for national reunification.

While expressing his country's readiness to carry forward the traditional friendship with China and maintain close high-level exchanges, he said that Zambia is committed to deepening cooperation with China under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and actively implementing the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit.

Zambia highly appreciates the four global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, and is willing to strengthen multilateral coordination with China and jointly uphold multilateralism and free trade, Hichilema added.

After the talks, the leaders of the two countries jointly witnessed the signing of cooperation documents.

After concluding his visit to Zambia, Li will travel to South Africa to attend the 20th Group of 20 Summit in Johannesburg.

caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn