Zambia to sign more deals with China at FOCAC Summit

LUSAKA -- A top Zambian diplomat said the southern African nation will sign more agreements with China on the sidelines of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in South Africa, state media reported on Friday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and dozens of African leaders including Zambian President Edgar Lungu kicked off Friday a landmark summit in Johannesburg primed to lift the China-Africa relationship to a higher level.

Emmanuel Mwamba, Zambia's High Commissioner to South Africa told media the Zambia leader will sign trade agreements in various sectors with China in infrastructure development, agriculture and manufacturing.

The Zambian envoy, in remarks delivered ahead of the summit, said the summit would elevate the China-Zambia relations to a new level that would have a beneficial impact and give impetus to Zambia's development agenda.

On Wednesday, presidential spokesperson Amos Chanda revealed that Zambia expects to clinch 1 billion US dollars in Chinese investments and loans at the summit.

African countries see China as their new ally to lift them from current quagmire of development and will use the summit to seal various agreements.

Africa's industrialization, food security, public health and disease prevention are high on the agenda of the summit as well as improving Africa's livelihood, poverty reduction and investment.