2 August 2008
The Chinese government and its defence forces have been praised for the support it rendered to the economic and defence development that Zambia has attained.
Defence Minister, George Mpombo, said in Lusaka yesterday when he officiated at the 81st anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Peoples' Liberation Army (CPLA) that the economic development that China had achieved was an example to many countries and that Zambia was not an exception.
"China has continued to live up to its reputation as an all weather friend to Zambia by extending various forms of economic and technical assistance including in the field of defence," he said.
Zambia had and was still benefiting from the economic and infrastructure development that China had achieved.
Today China had continued to assist Zambia in the field of training its defence forces and medical staff to hasten the bilateral relationship that existed between the two countries.
The minister said the friendship between CPLA and Zambia defence forces dated back to the time when Zambia attained her independence hence the need to have the relationship continued.
"Zambia will never forget the day when China and its CPLA gave material assistance to our defence forces when we were fighting for the liberation struggles," Mr Mpombo said.
And the minister has described calls by some people to publish pictures of President Mwanawasa while in hospital as uncalled for.
He said it was regrettable to hear that some members of the public were calling for pictures of Dr Mwanawasa currently admitted in a French hospital to be published.
He said Dr Mwanawasa deserved respect as he was not just a Head of State but a human being as well who had the right to privacy.
CPLA defence attaché, Wang Zhiyong said the Chinese defence force and the people of China were grateful for the support that Dr Mwanawasa had offered to them during the 12th May earthquake which struck Sichuan Province of China.
Colonel Wang said the Zambian defence force had become the best partner in development of the military defence force and that Zambia was the only country in the world, which had benefited from the continuous assistance from China in defence matters.
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