President Hichilema holds bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping

President Hakainde Hichilema held bilateral talks yesterday with President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing. The talks aimed to strengthen Zambia and China's longstanding cooperation and friendship.

During the meeting, President Hakainde Hichilema expressed his gratitude for the invitation to the Ninth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit. The FOCAC programme promises to enhance cooperation across various sectors of the Zambian economy and is centred around cementing bilateral relations to foster economic development.

President Hichilema highlighted the economic progress since Zambia and China upgraded their relationship to a ‘comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership’ in September last year, noting improvements in “various sectors: infrastructure, energy and mining.” 

The President went on to highlight China's global role in Zambian development. “We note China's important role in maintaining global peace and security so as to focus our time, energy, and technology on advancing our economic development agenda for the benefit of our people,” the President wrote on Facebook. 

Later, Presidents Hichilema and Xi Jinping were joined by Her Excellency the President of the United Republic of Tanzania and witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with China Railway Construction Limited (CRCC) for the revitalisation of the Tanzania - Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA).