China-Zambia cooperation has great potential: Chinese FM

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that China-Zambia cooperation has great potential and a bright prospect.

In a phone conversation with Zambia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Stanley Kakubo, Wang congratulated Kakubo on taking office as Zambia's new foreign minister.

The traditional friendship between China and Zambia was forged by the older generation of leaders of the two countries, including Chairman Mao Zedong and Zambia's founding President Kenneth Kaunda, which is precious and deserves to be inherited and carried forward, Wang said.

Over a half century, no matter how the international situation changes, China and Zambia have both attached great importance to their ties and committed to deepening friendly cooperation, Wang noted, adding that the quality of China-Zambia "all-weather friends" has never declined.

China and Zambia, he continued, are both developing countries that share broad common interests and goals, and that their cooperation is South-South cooperation that helps and supports each other, which has great potential and a bright prospect.

China will continue to be a firm partner in Zambia's development, Wang said, stating that China is willing to share its own development opportunities with African countries, including Zambia, to help Africa accelerate its industrialization and truly achieve economic independence.

To help Zambia cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, China is willing to provide another 1 million doses of vaccines, he added.

Wang said China hopes to work with Zambia to encourage more countries and organizations to participate in the Global Development Initiative and the Initiative on Partnership for Africa's Development, so as to make positive contributions to African countries' post-pandemic economic recovery and their stronger, green and healthy development.

For his part, Kakubo said Zambia's new government attaches great importance to Zambia-China friendship, and is firmly committed to amity with China.

Zambia stands ready to deepen practical cooperation with China in various fields, and further enhance coordination and cooperation with China at bilateral and multilateral levels, he said.

Kakubo said that Zambia supports the one-China policy and that the country believes in China's ability to defend its sovereignty and security.

He also said the Zambian side thanks China for providing COVID-19 vaccines and other supplies to help it address the pandemic, stressing that it has benefitted greatly from the Belt and Road Initiative and will actively participated in the upcoming meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, so as to help promote exchanges and cooperation between African countries and China.