On December 12, 2011, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun met with Zambian President Michael Sata in Lusaka.

Zhai conveyed President Hu Jintao's cordial greetings and good wishes to President Sata. Zhai said China-Zambia friendship has a long history. During the Zambian people's struggle for national independence, the Chinese government and people provided political, moral and material support to Zambia. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zambia 47 years ago, their bilateral ties have withstood the test of the changes in the international situation and in their respective domestic circumstances and have been developing soundly and smoothly. Both sides have always enjoyed mutual understanding and support on issues concerning each other's major interests, with both countries helping each other in national development. Both sides have witnessed fruitful cooperation in fields of economy, trade, agriculture, mining and infrastructure construction.

Zhai said China-Zambia friendship conforms to the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples. The Chinese side is willing to make joint efforts with the new Zambian government to continue to adhere to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and seek mutual benefit and common development. He called for joint efforts of the two sides to further increase understanding and exchange among people, so as to deepen all-weather friendship between China and Zambia.

Sata said at the beginning of Zambia's independence, China helped Zambia build a railway linking Tanzania and Zambia, which is regarded as a road of freedom. Through the railway, the Zambian people started to learn about China. In recent years, investment and aid from China have played an important role in Zambia's economic and social development. Zambia is willing to remain China's development partner and further strengthen cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, education and infrastructure construction, the president said.

During the visit, Zhai met with senior officials from Zambia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Finance. Both sides signed an agreement on economic and technological cooperation between the two governments.