Beijing, September 6th—Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (IDCPC), met here today upon request with Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia's United Party for National Development (UPND) and President of Zambia. 

Hichilema said, the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing was a complete success. At the Summit, President Xi Jinping proposed the ten partnership actions for modernization, emphasizing that the Chinese side is willing to take the initiative to open up its markets unilaterally, which has greatly encouraged African countries including Zambia. I have asked the Cabinet Ministers to go through each article and dock with the Chinese side promptly. Zambia and China have a long-standing friendship symbolized by the TAZARA Railway. During my visit to China last year, President Xi Jinping and I elevated the relationship between the two countries to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The day before yesterday, I met with President Xi Jinping again, reaching new consensus on the development of relations between the two countries. The Zambian side is grateful to the Chinese side for its long-term and valuable support for the economic and social development of Zambia and its active role in resolving Zambia’s debt problem, and appreciates the great development achievements made by China under the leadership of the CPC. The UPND values its friendly relations with the CPC and hopes to strengthen exchanges with the CPC, learn from the CPC's experience in leading national development, party governance, and official training and selection, so as to enhance its own governing capacity and promote cooperation between the two countries in areas like infrastructure, energy and agriculture. 

Liu said, President Xi Jinping delivered an important keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Summit, proposing that bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China be elevated to the level of strategic relations, and that the overall characterization of China-Africa relations be elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era and taking the ten partnership actions for modernization, which was warmly welcomed by the African side. The IDCPC will take immediate action to deliver the outcomes of the Summit with the African side through party channels and promote greater development of China-Africa relations. 

Liu said, since China and Zambia established diplomatic relations 60 years ago, the traditional friendship between the two countries has maintained development regardless of the changing international landscape. Under the joint promotion of President Xi Jinping and President Hichilema, China-Zambia relations have been upgraded to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, with fruitful results in bilateral cooperation of various fields. The Chinese side is willing to work with the Zambian side to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, continue the firm support to each other on issues involving respective core interests and major concerns, and expand mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields. The CPC is willing to, together with the UPND, strengthen exchanges at all levels, enhance mutual understanding, and deepen exchanges and mutual learning of experience in state governance and administration and cooperation in areas such as party building and cadre training, to jointly promote the modernization of respective countries.