Senior CPC leader Li Changchun met with Kabinga Pande, vice
president of Zambia's Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), on
Wednesday, calling on the two sides to step up bilateral ties.
Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee
Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC), highlighted
the development of China's relations with Zambia since the two
nations forged diplomatic relations 43 years ago. He said that the
friendly and cooperative relations between the two nations had set
an example for ties between China and other African nations.
The two countries have shared a solid historical and social
foundation to boost ties, Li said, noting that the two sides
maintained frequent high-level exchange, expanded their political
mutual trust and had forged close coordination on many
international issues in recent years.
He expressed his appreciation to Zambia's long-term adherence to
the one-China policy, saying that the CPC valued its ties with MMD
and would make concerted efforts with the MMD side to boost
bilateral cooperation.
"I hope the cooperation will serve not only to increase mutual
understanding and friendship between the two peoples and two
parties, but also to help boost bilateral relations," the CPC
leader said.
Pande, also Zambia's Foreign Minister and a special envoy of
Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, extended his congratulations on
the successful convening of the 17th National Congress of the CPC.
He said he hoped to fortify the friendly relations between the two
countries.
He reiterated that Zambia would continue to stick to the
one-China policy.
Pande arrived in Beijing on Sunday as a guest of the
International Department of the CPC Central Committee.
In addition to Beijing, he will also visit China's economic
powerhouse Shanghai and Nanchang in Jiangxi Province. While in the
central province he will study China's rural development and
poverty alleviation, an official with the department said.
(Xinhua News Agency November 15, 2007)
