• PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu and First Lady Esther Lungu being welcomed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing yesterday. Picture by SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE

By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –

in Beijing-China
THE Zambian Government has secured 810 million RMB (about US $130 million) from China with $65 million of the funds to go towards the construction of communication towers in the country under the Zambia Information, Communication and Technology Authority (ZICTA).
The funds were secured after the successful signing of two agreements involving 400 million RMB and an addition 410 million RMB under the framework for concession of loans and grants between the Zambian and Chinese governments yesterday.
This followed the progressive closed-door bilateral talks between President Edgar Lungu and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping yesterday.
Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda signed on behalf of Zambia for both agreements, while Chinese Minister of Commerce, Gao Hu Cheng signed on behalf of his country for one agreement at a  ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People and witnessed by the two Heads of State.
President Lungu praised the Chinese government for the continued support towards Zambia’s social, economic and political development agenda.
Since independence, Zambia had enjoyed good bilateral relations with China that have impacted positively on the country’s economic, social and political frontier.
Mr Lungu said the successful signing of the bilateral agreements that have resulted in China providing $65 million for construction of communication towers and other additional concession loans and grants was testimony of the good bilateral relations between the two nations.
The Head of State also proposed to his Chinese counterpart a number of interventions including the establishment of solar maize milling plants in each of the 10 provinces aimed at reducing the price of mealie-meal in the country.
He said he was disturbed to see mealie-meal fetching at unrealistically high price in the country when Zambia produces abundant maize grain.
The reason the price of mealie- meal was unrealistically high in the country was because of lack of milling plants in areas where maize was being produced.
He said arising from that, he intended to roll-out a presidential initiative that involved the setting up of maize milling plants in each of the 10 provinces in the country to help ensure the price of mealie-meal was reduced.
Mr Lungu asked Mr Xi to consider helping the country in the aspect of establishing maize milling plants in the country.
He said Government had already started putting in place measures under the Zambia National Service (ZNS) for establishing maize milling plants.
The president also requested for China’s help in revamping the Tanzania-Zambia Railways Authority (TAZARA).
Mr Xi was in support of President Lungu’s proposal particularly on the TAZARA project.
He said it was painful to see TAZARA, which he termed as a ‘freedom project’ in  a dilapidated state.
Mr Xi disclosed his desire to help form a tripartite think-tank involving Zambia, Tanzania and China to explore ways of revamping the TAZARA project.
State House special assistant to the president for Press and public relations, who briefed journalists on the outcome of the closed-door bilateral meetings involving Mr Lungu and Mr Xi, said the two Heads of State were satisfied with the bilateral meetings.
Mr Lungu also held closed bilateral meetings with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and later with chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
The president also held closed bilateral talks with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni and the two leaders discussed issues regarding restoring peace in South Sudan as well as the brewing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Earlier, the Chinese Government treated Mr Lungu who was accompanied by First Lady Esther, to a colourful welcoming ceremony held in his honour at the Great Hall of the people-Northern side in Beijing where the Zambian Head of State inspected a guard of honour accompanied by Mr Xi.
A state banquet in honour of President Lungu was then held at the Great Hall of the people-Golden Hall.
Mr Lungu then proceeded to visit the People’s Hero monument where he laid a wreath at the resting place of Mao Zedong, who was the chairman of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China from 1943 and the chairperson of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China from 1945 until his death in 1976.
President Lungu was accompanied by Foreign Affairs minister Harry Kalaba, his counterpart for Commerce, Trade and Industry Margaret Mwanakatwe, Christopher Yaluma for Mines, Given Lubinda for Agriculture, Yamfwa Mukanga for Works, Supply Transport and Communication and Mr Chikwanda.