By Fanny Kalonda
CHINA says it is willing to work with other international partners in Zambia to contribute to the country’s economic growth and people’s livelihoods.
Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on President Hakainde Hichilema at State House on Friday, China’s department of African affairs director general Wu Peng said the Asian country had since urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to quickly approve disbursement of the 1.4 billion dollar package to Zambia.
“We congratulate your administration’s already achieved success within very short time. The Chinese side is willing to strengthen bilateral strategic communication. We also the Chinese side appeal for an early approval and disbursement of the 1.4 billion dollars to Zambia. China is willing to work with other international partners of Zambia to contribute our share on your economic growth and your people’s livelihoods, living standards,” said Wu. “Today is Memorial Day of president Kenneth Kaunda who passed away, he is well known in China. We remember his contribution and others. The Chinese side is very satisfied and appreciate your agency’s new administration since Your Excellency took office from last year. We are glad to see you committed to holding national solidarity, economic growth, social equality, fighting corruption and better Zambian people’s livelihoods.”
And President Hichilema said it is important for Zambia to unlock the debt situation, adding that ‘’it is like a python, that debt is really strangling us’’.
He said the quicker the country resolved the issue and release revenues towards development expenditures, the better.
“It is important for us that we unlock the debt situation because it is like a python, that debt is really strangling us, and the quicker we resolve that issue and release revenues towards development expenditures the better. We hope that Zambia will continue to be supportive of the process, we appreciate that. We appreciate your commitment to supporting Zambia’s social economic agenda,” he said. “You coming here is as a result of the seriousness attached to that telephone conversation. And to underscore, since you are visiting, I wish to reiterate and confirm the warm relations that Zambia and China enjoy over a period of time; a long period of time in our difficult days during the liberation struggle. China was able, Your Excellency the director general and Ambassador, to give us support; to give us this country and the people of Zambia support in those difficult times and we appreciate that. And while we were facing such challenges, you as a country came forward, for example, to assist us open a trade route to the sea.’’
President Hichilema highlighted some the challenges Zamb9ia had post-independence.
‘’At the time it was very crucial to us because of the political situation that we were facing, I’m sure you remember. We had the Rhodesian side and China came to our side with Tanzania to construct the TAZARA railway. Director general, this shows the strength of our relationship; therefore, it is important for the two countries to continue living,” he said.
And President Hichilema said TAZARA was an important aspect, adding that there was need to find another way of organising the rail line.
“As our founding fathers, you know chairman Mao and president Kaunda, and the relationship they built needs to outlast all of us. TAZARA still remains important to us and we are hopeful that we can find another way of reorganising TAZARA; giving it a new life, it is the world’s asset. Zambia remains committed to this agenda of TAZARA.”