China on Tuesday voiced its willingness to make joint efforts with Zambia's new government to promote the healthy development of bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

China and Zambia share a traditional friendship and pushing forward cooperation will bring more tangible benefits for the two peoples, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a press briefing in Beijing.

Zambia's new president Michael Sata was officially inaugurated last Friday, and on Sept. 26 he welcomed Chinese companies' investment during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Zhou Yuxiao.

"The Chinese government backs capable and credible companies to carry out investment and cooperation in Zambia," Hong said, noting that China always asks its companies in the African nation to obey the laws with standardized operation and fulfill corporate social responsibility.

Hong said China has helped build a number of infrastructure projects that benefit the people of Zambia, and its companies have created over 10,000 jobs for locals by conducting investment and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefits.

This has effectively provided an impetus for Zambia's social and economic development, Hong said.

In recent years, major Chinese companies in Zambia have maintained the policy of "not conducting fund withdrawal, production cancellation, or job cuts," which has made a prominent contribution to Zambia's ability to effectively handle the global financial crisis, Hong said.