ZAMBIA, CHINA KEEN TO REVIVE TAZARA
AN important consensus has been reached by President Xi Jinping and President Hakainde Hichilema over the revitalisation of TAZARA Railway, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Du Xiaohui has said.
Mr Xiaohui said China, Zambia and Tanzania are currently in active discussions on the revitalisation based on market principle.
He said once revitalised, the TAZARA railway will bolster the development vision of the Zambian Government, by boosting the growth of copper mining and the agricultural sector.
“NDRC and the Ministry of Finance and National Planning could consider including the revitalisation of the TAZARA railway in the belt and road cooperation plan between China and Zambia.
It will be an opportunity to speed up the formulation process of such a plan and contribute to more fruitful outcomes of the FOCAC meeting in Beijing,” Mr Xiaohui said.
And Mr Xiaohui said this will also develop greater synergy between the two countries development strategies, and improve macroeconomic governance.
“As members of the Global South, there is huge potential for China and Zambia to cooperate on governance. China is ready to assist Zambia in fully implementing its Eighth National Development Plan and achieving economic transformation, as a measure to protect the common interests of the developing world.
China is also keen on communicating and coordinating with Zambia closely on key issues such as the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and stands ready to open our market wider to Zambia. We wish to strengthen the exchanges of experience on economic governance, and plan to arrange for more than 30 Zambian senior officials to participate in the Seminar on Governance Capacity Building and Macroeconomic Planning in China,” Mr Xiaohui said.