By H.E. Mr. DU Xiaohui, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia
Ten years ago, President Xi Jinping put forth the guiding principles of China’s policy toward Africa, namely the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and pursuing the greater good and shared interests. In the past decade, China and Zambia have been deepening cooperation through such mechanisms and platforms as the Belt and Road Initiative and Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, bringing bilateral relations to a new era.
In treating Zambian friends, China remains sincere. Sincere friends are most precious. During the Covid-19 pandemic, China hosted many online training programs for Zambia and other African countries. With the adjustment of Covid-19 control policy, the first offline Seminar on Leadership Development for Zambia was successfully held in Zhejiang Province of China last month. The Zambian participants visited China and learned the Chinese practices in reform and opening up and development. Since 2014, China has held various training programs for more than 6,000 Zambian friends, which covered a wide range of areas and professionals including agriculture, mining, energy, health, media, infrastructure and trade. With experience sharing in national governance and cooperation on capacity building, we hope that our two countries draw wisdom from our ancient civilizations and development practices, to help Zambia transform human resources advantages into the efficiency of economic development and bring tangible benefits to the Zambian people.
In conducting cooperation with Zambia, China values real results. China always links our two countries’ development closely and shares development opportunities. On April 27, President Hakainde Hichilema attended the opening ceremony of the UCFCL 300,000 MTPA Urea Project led and undertaken by Chinese enterprises. The project, with a total investment of 595 million USD, represents a further step towards exploring new models of practical cooperation between our two countries in Zambia. It is a typical example of “invest in zambia, produce in zambia, buy in zambia” and will demonstrate the Chinese technology, quality and efficiency. It will be the first modern urea factory in Zambia and neighboring countries, providing Zambia with 300,000 tons of urea each year, which will significantly reduce the agricultural cost, create new jobs and improve the well-being of Zambian people.
In strengthening friendship with Zambia, China seeks to cultivate amity. Friendship, which derives from close contact between the people, holds the key to sound state-to-state relations. Based on the understanding that education is the cornerstone for national rejuvenation, China has supported more than 1,100 outstanding Zambian students to study in China with government scholarships. This month, the Chinese Embassy signed an agreement with Mulungushi University to initiate a program that will provide the Ambassador Scholarship for five students from this university each year, in order to benefit more students. The Belt and Road Initiative has facilitated the rise of Chinese language education in Zambia, which has doubled the world for the Zambian young friends. For example, David Muttendango, a student from the University of Zambia and a diligent Chinese learner, participated and excelled in the Science and Technology Backyard project of China Agricultural University. By learning Chinese and modern agricultural technology, he has not only achieved personal development, but also contributed to agricultural development in his hometown.
In addressing problems in cooperation with Zambia, China emphasizes good faith. In the face of imperialist siege and blockade, China treated Zambia with good faith and helped Zambia build the TAZARA, known as Uhuru Railway. And Zambia stood firmly by China and supported China’s restoration of its lawful seat in the United Nations. Facing problems arising in the process of development, the two sides communicated with good faith and actively sought proper solutions. China believes that the ultimate solution to those problems is to jointly make the cake of prosperity bigger and promote greater development. China has and will continue to work with Zambia to take concrete measures to properly handle problems so as to bring more benefits to both sides.
In developing China-Zambia relations, China pursues the greater good and shared interests, with higher priority given to the former. The greatest good in China-Zambia relations lies in mutual respect and equality, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, mutual benefit and common development. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the China Medical Team sent to Zambia. In the past 45 years, 993 medical staff have made tireless efforts to assist Zambia, treating more than 6.4 million patients, performing more than 39,000 operations of various kinds, introducing and implementing more than 1,000 new technologies and projects. They have been greatly appreciated by Zambian people for their noble medical ethics and exquisite medical skills, and become the envoys of China-Zambia friendship. They are a vivid example of China’s commitment to the greater good and shared interests in promoting the development of Zambia’s medical and health services. Pursuing the greater good and shared interests and achieving common development have always been an important feature of China-Zambia relations.
In today’s world, multiple challenges and crises are intertwined, and mankind faces many global challenges. In the face of new circumstances and challenges, China and Zambia should stand side by side and work together to practice the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and pursuing greater good and shared interests to build a closer China-Africa and China-Zambia community of a shared future and promote sound and sustainable China-Zambia relations.