On the morning of September 9, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People with Zambian President Hichilema, who was visiting China on a state visit. The two heads of state announced that China-Zambia relations will be upgraded to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.
Xi Jinping pointed out that the traditional friendship between China and Zambia was personally created by the leaders of the older generation of the two countries and has withstood the test of the changing international situation. The Tanzania-Zambia railway is a symbol of China-Africa friendship, and the two peoples cherish special friendship with each other. China has always viewed and developed China-Zambia relations from a strategic height and a long-term perspective, and is willing to work with Zambia to transform the profound traditional friendship between the two countries into an inexhaustible driving force for win-win cooperation in the new era, and promote the stability and long-term development of China-Zambia relations to a new level.
Xi Jinping stressed that China supports Zambia in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, exploring a development path in line with its own realities, and is willing to strengthen inter-party exchanges and exchange of experience in governance with Zambia, and firmly support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. The success of Chinese-style modernization has demonstrated the diversity of world modernization models, and China's high-quality development and modernization process will continue to bring new opportunities to all countries in the world, including Zambia. China is willing to work with Zambia to expand cooperation in infrastructure construction, agriculture, mining and clean energy, and jointly achieve development and revitalization, guided by the joint construction of the "Belt and Road". China encourages more Zambian high-quality products to enter the Chinese market and supports more Chinese-funded enterprises to invest in Zambia. The two sides should do a good job in celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in education and training, health care, culture and tourism, further strengthen personnel exchanges, and enhance mutual understanding and affinity between the two peoples.
Xi Jinping pointed out that at present, the rise of developing countries and the continuous enhancement of international influence have become an irreversible trend of the times. We should strengthen unity and cooperation, practice true multilateralism, firmly safeguard international fairness and justice, strive to enhance the voice of developing countries, and safeguard the common interests of the two countries and developing countries. China-Africa cooperation has become a leader in South-South cooperation and international cooperation with Africa. Sincerity, equality, mutual benefit and win-win results, safeguarding justice, openness and inclusiveness, the main line and background of China-Africa friendship have never changed. China firmly supports African countries in following the path of independent development and in becoming an important pole of the world's political, economic and civilizational development. China is willing to work with African countries, including Zambia, to implement the outcomes of the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue such as the Initiative to Support Africa's Industrialization, strengthen strategic docking, deepen cooperation in various fields, support African countries in continuously improving their independent development capabilities, achieve economic recovery and sustainable development, and work together to build a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
Hichilema said that Zambia cherishes the Zambia-China friendship created by the leaders of the older generation of the two countries. China's development has led to progress in the countries of the Global South, enhanced the representation and voice of countries in the Global South in international affairs, and promoted the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction. Zambia thanked China for supporting the African Union's accession to the G2024 and for its positive role in resolving Zambia's debt problem. Zambia abides by the one-China principle, highly appreciates the guiding concepts and principles of Chinese-style modernization, hopes to learn from China's development experience, and is willing to work with China to take the opportunity of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries to deepen cooperation in the fields of mining, agriculture, economy and trade, science and technology, infrastructure construction, medical and health care, and achieve complementary advantages and common development. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is an important platform for promoting the development of African countries, and Zambia thanked China for holding the forum in <>, and is willing to work with China to push Africa-China cooperation to a new level, jointly address global challenges such as energy and food security, and inject more stability into the world.
After the talks, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents in the fields of jointly building the "Belt and Road", green development, digital economy, investment cooperation, inspection and quarantine.
The two sides issued the Joint Statement of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Zambia on Establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Partnership.
Before the talks, Xi Jinping held a welcoming ceremony for Hichilema in the square outside the east gate of the Great Hall of the People.
When Hichilema arrived, the ceremonial soldiers lined up to salute. The heads of state of the two countries took the parade stand, the military orchestra played the national anthems of China and China, and a 21-gun salute was fired in Tiananmen Square. Accompanied by Xi Jinping, Hitchlema inspects the honor guard of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and watches the parade.
Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan and Hichilema's wife Mu Tingta accompanied the welcoming ceremony. At noon that day, Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan held a welcome banquet for Hichilema and Mutinta in the Golden Hall of the Great Hall of the People.
Wang Yi participated in the above activities.