President Hu Jintao ended his two-day state visit to Zambia
Monday and left for Windhoek, Namibia, to continue his eight-nation
tour of Africa.
Soon after his arrival in Lusaka Saturday, President Hu had
talks with Zambian President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa. They discussed
ways of enhancing friendship and economic and trade cooperation
between the two countries. Following their talks, the two countries
signed eight cooperation documents.
On Sunday, President Hu met former Zambian President Kenneth
Kaunda, and attended the inauguration ceremony of a Zambia-China
economic cooperation zone, the first one to be set up by China in
Africa.
At the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation
in November, President Hu announced that China will establish three
to five trade and economic cooperation zones in Africa over the
next three years.
Since China and Zambia established diplomatic relations in 1964,
the two countries have maintained what Kaunda described as an
"all-weather friendship."
The Tanzara Railway, built with the assistance of China, is a
symbol of friendship and cooperation between China and Africa.
In recent years, China and Zambia have expanded their
cooperation in other sectors, such as agriculture, textiles and
education. In 2005, the bilateral trade volume reached US$300
million.
President Hu's Africa trip has already taken him to Cameroon,
Liberia and Sudan and he will continue his visit to Namibia, South
Africa, Mozambique and the Seychelles.
(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2007)
