China Ready to Work with Zambia to Expand Trade, Cooperation: Chinese Premier 

Enhanced China-Africa collaboration a powerful catalyst for South-South bond: expert

By Wang Qi

Nov 20, 2025 10:22 PM

Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrives at the Lusaka International Airport and is welcomed by Zambian Vice President Mutale Nalumango and the Chinese ambassador to Zambia Han Jing, in Lusaka, Zambia, Nov. 19, 2025. At the invitation of the Zambian government, Li arrived here on Wednesday to pay an official visit to Zambia. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Thursday that China is ready to work with Zambia to expand bilateral trade and tap cooperation potential in industrial sectors such as mining, new energy vehicles and artificial intelligence, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Li made the remarks in talks with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema.

Chinese Premier Li arrived in Zambia's capital of Lusaka on Wednesday for an official visit to the African country, Xinhua said. The visit marks the first official visit by a Chinese head of government to Zambia after 28 years. 

He said on Thursday that China and Zambia should strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation, work with the vast number of Global South countries to safeguard the international economic and trade order as well as fairness and justice, and defend their common interests, according to Xinhua. 

Upon arrival, Li said that Zambia was the first country in Southern Africa to establish diplomatic ties with China, and the two countries share a profound tradition of friendship.

Over the years, despite changes in the international landscape, China and Zambia have consistently respected, trusted and supported each other, jointly forging the spirit of China-Africa friendship and cooperation, including the Tanzania-Zambia Railway spirit, he said.

According to the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), during the visit, Premier Li is expected to witness the ground-breaking of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) revitalization project.

ZNBC also noted in its report that the visit is expected to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries in infrastructure development, trade, and investment.

Han Jing, the Chinese ambassador to Zambia, wrote in a post on the embassy's Facebook account that Premier Li's visit is expected to produce a dozen outcome documents. 

Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Thursday that China-Zambia relations are currently in an important period of opportunity for high-level development under the comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, with the defining features of mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

Premier Li's visit will not only be conducive to further strengthening political mutual trust through high-level interactions, but will also facilitate the implementation of the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and continue to promote the concrete landing of specific projects.

In an interview with Xinhua on Saturday, Ambassador Han said the elevation of bilateral relations between China and Zambia to a comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership in 2023 has opened up broader areas of cooperation and deepened collaboration.

The ambassador underscored several major joint projects that have progressed steadily, such as the commissioning of the 100-megawatt Chisamba Solar Plant and the reopening of the Lubambe Copper Mine. He said the Tanzania-Zambia Railway has remained a powerful symbol of China-Africa friendship.

China-Zambia practical cooperation serves as a paragon in China-Africa cooperation, said Song Wei, noting that the two sides have carried out fruitful collaboration in a wide range of fields, including infrastructure, mining, transportation, electric power, manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and education.

Looking ahead to the period of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, the pragmatic cooperation with Zambia could expand to more sectors including clean energy, while further strengthening industrial-chain linkages and build the country into a regional manufacturing hub.

Furthermore, China is also capable of enhancing digital cooperation with Zambia, making full use of e-commerce platforms to help Zambia's agricultural products enter the Chinese market, said Song. 

Western media, as usual, attempt to view cooperation between China and Zambia through a geopolitical lens. For example, the AP mentioned that the visit focuses on the refurbishment of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway line "to further improve China's access to critical minerals." 

Western narratives are steeped in geopolitical rivalry, deliberately distorting the cooperation between China and Zambia in an attempt to undermine China's influence in Africa, said Song. "In fact, China-Zambia cooperation has tangibly promoted Zambia's development and transformation, and delivered real benefits to the Zambian people."

Premier Li's visit and the reported signing of a series of cooperation agreements represent the continuation and development of the traditional friendship between China and Zambia as well as between China and Africa, said Liu Naiya, executive director of the South African Studies Center, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

They also demonstrate to the world the consistent stance of the Chinese government in pursuing friendship with Africa — China will always place China-Africa ties in a crucial position, and this remains unchanged regardless of changes in the world, Liu added.

Premier Li's visit to Zambia followed his attendance at the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Moscow. Li is also scheduled to attend the 20th G20 Summit in Johannesburg in South Africa from November 21 to 23, after the visit to Zambia.  

Taking place between the two crucial multilateral gatherings, the Chinese Premier's trip to Zambia carries significance beyond the bilateral scope, analysts said. 

Premier Li's visit to Zambia demonstrates China's firm commitment to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Global South in upholding multilateralism, further reinforcing China's image as a responsible major country, said Song. 

Song added that the deepening of China-Zambia relations will propel the broader development of China-Africa ties and also accelerate the building of an All-Weather China-Africa Community with a Shared Future for the New Era. 

The enhanced China-Africa coordination will act as a powerful catalyst for deeper cooperation between China and other Global South countries, while steering global governance toward a more equitable system that truly reflects the aspirations and legitimate interests of developing countries, Song said.