Zambia and China have reaffirmed their commitment to accelerate work on the Tanzania–Zambia Railway (TAZARA) corridor, President Hakainde Hichilema said late Wednesday after hosting a special envoy from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Hichilema met Xian Hui, Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), at Community House in Lusaka.
He said the two countries’ long‑standing friendship, dating back to the era of Kenneth Kaunda and Mao Zedong, continues to deliver tangible results, including expanded trade and renewed cooperation on infrastructure.
The TAZARA corridor, built in the 1970s with Chinese support, links Zambia’s Copperbelt to the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
It has long been viewed as a strategic trade route but has suffered from underinvestment and operational challenges. Recent efforts have focused on modernizing the railway, improving efficiency and expanding its role in facilitating regional commerce.
Hichilema said Zambia’s exports to China have doubled over the past five years to a record $4.2 billion, underscoring the importance of strengthening transport links.
“With our renewed mandate, we have reaffirmed our commitment to accelerate work on the Tanzania-Zambia Railway corridor. We are committed to facilitating trade and growing the businesses that move along it,” he said.
The reaffirmation comes as Zambia pursues its Grow Zambia agenda, which places foreign trade diplomacy at the centre of economic growth.
For China, the corridor remains a symbol of its historic partnership with Africa and a key component of its broader Belt and Road Initiative.
JN/APA