Interview: China, Zambia boast huge potential for cooperation, says expert

China and Zambia enjoy huge potential for cooperation, especially in such areas as agriculture and technology, a Zambian scholar has said.

The two countries have made strides in cementing bilateral ties over the years, Haggai Kanenga, a lecturer and researcher in the Department of Development Studies at the University of Zambia, told Xinhua in an interview on Thursday.

Zambian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Stanley Kakubo last week became the first foreign minister of a sub-Saharan African country to visit China since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The trip signifies the importance both China and Zambia attach to their relations and also affirms the fact that China sees Zambia "as a partner in development," the scholar said, calling China-Zambia relations a model of China-Africa relations.

Zambia was the region's first country to establish diplomatic ties with China, and also the country with which China established the first economic cooperation zone in the southern African region, Kanenga said.

In the expert's view, China has shown its willingness to work with Zambia in providing technical, financial and other support to contribute to Zambia's development.

China was helping African countries to pursue their own development priorities, he noted, commending China for continuing to provide assistance to Africa in the construction of various projects and infrastructure.

Looking into the future, the expert said the two countries have huge potential in deepening their cooperation in various areas.

Zambia has a competitive advantage in the agriculture sector which was yet to be tapped while China would offer the southern African nation a huge market for agricultural products, he said.

According to the expert, Zambia has put industrialization and diversification of the economy on top of its agenda, which would further expand the space for bilateral cooperation.