Chinese premier meets with Zambian president

BEIJING -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema in Beijing on Friday.

Li said that China and Zambia share a profound tradition of friendship and have extensive common interests. Despite the changing international situation, China and Zambia have strengthened their political mutual trust and their practical cooperation has become closer, setting a good example of solidarity and coordination between developing countries, Li said.

The two heads of state held talks to draw a new blueprint for and open a new chapter in the development of bilateral relations, Li said. China is willing to work with Zambia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen strategic alignment, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and push bilateral relations to a higher level, he added.

Noting that China and Zambia are good partners on the road to development, Li said that China is ready to work with Zambia to build the Belt and Road Initiative and implement the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue to continuously enhance the strategic and sustainable nature of bilateral cooperation.

China and Zambia should not only expand and strengthen cooperation in established areas such as mining and infrastructure construction, but they should also create new cooperation growth areas such as green development, the digital economy, and industrial and agricultural modernization, he said. By doing so, they can embark on a path of modernization featuring mutual assistance and common revitalization among developing countries.

The two sides should strengthen their mutual understanding and support to safeguard the common interests of the two countries and all developing countries, Li added.

Hichilema said that Zambia and China enjoy an all-weather friendship, and that bilateral relations are as firm as rock. Zambia adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to deepen cooperation with China in such fields as industry, tourism, agriculture, the economy and trade, and science and technology to achieve sustainable development.

Zambia opposes the "China debt trap" and "economic decoupling" narratives, and is willing to work with China to promote common development, he added.