By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
ZAMBIA will this week host a high-level investment and trade seminar for Zambian and Chinese firms at one of the Multi Facility Economic Zones (MFEZs) in Lusaka.
The forum, dubbed Zambia China Jilin Investment and Trade Seminar, which will be held at the MFEZ in Lusaka East tomorrow, has attracted about 100 local participants and 18 Chinese Companies.
One of the companies involved is Jihai Company, a Chinese-funded enterprise in Zambia -China Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone (ZCCZ).
Zambian Jihai Agriculture Company chairperson Yao Yunwu said participants would be drawn from agricultural produce, agro machinery, automobile, construction material, industrial machinery and other related sectors.
Mr Yunwu said the Chinese delegation of 26 people would be led by Cong Hongxia and hoped that the trade and investment seminar being held in the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between Zambia and China, would serve to further enhance the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
The move would also be an opportunity to build the capacity of Zambians in technology transfer and innovation, to boost investment made by Jilin enterprises in Zambia and to enhance the trade between Zambia and Jilin.
Mr Yunwu said the seminar would deepen the economic, cultural and technology exchanges between Zambia and China, promote local employment rate, expand the export of Zambian  products and exert positive  effects on Zambia’s economic development .
And Zambia Association of Manufacturers (ZAM) president Bright Chunga urged Zambian entrepreneurs to become more productive than they have been before.
Dr Chunga said the seminar had come at the time when the country would be turning 50 years of independence, adding that Zambians still had not learnt to use products produced by themselves.
He said ZAM had so far received about 30 confirmed participants who would be taking part in the seminar and hoped that members would find partners in the delegation whom they could do business with.
Zambia Chamber of Small and Medium Business Associations (ZCSMBA) representative George Banda said the association was hopeful that the seminar would enable the Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SME)s to partner with  Chinese enterprises.