Chinese President Hu Jintao's expected visit to Zambia in early
next month is "significant" in enhancing the cooperation, improving
the bilateral relations and strengthening the existing friendship
between the two countries, Zambia's Mines Minister Kalomo Mwansa
told Xinhua News Agency in Lusaka on Monday in an exclusive
interview.
"It's a very significant visit to Zambia that will enhance our
cooperation, improve our relations to a higher level and strengthen
the already existing friendship between our two countries," the
minister said.
"This is a kind of visit we have been looking forward to for a
very long time," he said.
President Hu will start on Tuesday a tour of eight African
nations, Zambia being his fourth stop.
The visit, Mwansa said, will bring more Chinese investment and
consequently strengthen the economic cooperation between the two
countries.
"As a result of this visit, President Hu will bring in some
businessmen who will come within to explore further business
opportunities. I believe that there will be more Chinese investment
coming after this visit," Mwansa said.
During his visit, Hu will inaugurate a China-Zambia economic
cooperation zone in Kitwe, 400 km north of Lusaka, within which a
copper smelter will be constructed by China Nonferrous Metal Mining
Group, which is operating the Chambeshi Mine there.
Mwansa said the Chinese investment in the mining industry is
very significant to Zambia and its people as the investment will
bring in new technology to the sector and create more job
opportunities to local people.
"We also benefit from the fact that the Chinese and Zambian
people are getting closer and closer through this investment," he
added.
The building of the US$200-million copper smelter will increase
the country's capacity of copper processing, which will mean that
most of the copper concentrate that is exported out of Zambia will
be processed locally. Mwansa said this would give more jobs to
Zambian people and add value to its copper production.
The economic cooperation zone, Mwansa said, will open up more
investment to Zambia and make the country more attractive to
investors.
"We hope that we will get more investment from China as the
result of the opening of the economic cooperation zone, which will
make our country more and more attractive," he said.
It is the first economic cooperation zone of its kind in Zambia,
which is a good example that will propel others to emulate, the
minister added.
Mwansa said both China and Zambia are benefiting from the
economic cooperation between the two countries.
"It is a kind of mutual beneficial relationship," he said.
Chinese rapid economic growth will also bring benefit to Zambia
as the two economies are strongly linked together, Mwansa said.
"The more the Chinese economy grows, the more the Chinese
investment will flow to Zambia and the better it is for us. We'll
definitely benefit from that growth," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2007)
