ZAMBIA and China yesterday signed various bilateral agreements focusing mainly on economic cooperation between the two countries.

This was after President Rupiah Banda held closed door official talks with his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao at the Great Hall of the People (GHP) North Wing.

According to a statement released by special assistant to the president for Press and public relations Dickson Jere, the two leaders later witnessed the signing of the various agreements and memorandum of Understanding(MoU) between the two countries.

Before the meeting President Banda attended the official welcome ceremony to China at the GHP where he also inspected a guard of honour mounted by the defence forces. After the talks, President Banda, First Lady Thandiwe Banda and the Zambian delegation attended a State banquet hosted by President Hu.

Among the main agreements signed are on economic and technical cooperation for the construction of the National Stadium in Lusaka for a period beginning March 2010 to February 2015.

The agreement was signed by Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane on behalf of the Zambian Government.

Dr Musokotwane also signed another agreement on technical cooperation for the financial support to various developmen t projects to be agreed through consultation between the two countries.

Mines Minister Maxwell Mwale signed a framework agreement on mining comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

This agreement is on the promotion of cooperation in the field of geology and mining through cooperation projects and exchanges of information and visits on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, cooperation and win-win results.

Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande signed an executive programme for culture agreement for the years 2010 to 2014.

Mr Jere said this agreement would help strengthen the exchanges and cooperation in culture, arts, cultural heritage, education, sports, publication, radio, film and television between the two countries.

The agreement relating to the collaboration in the development of economic zones in Zambia with the China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group Limited (CNMC) was signed by Commerce Minister Felix Mutati.

This agreement relates to the CNMC procuring funding from China under the various lending windows for the establishment of several special economic zones in Zambia.

The agreement would include the financing and construction of the Lusaka sub-zone near the Lusaka International Airport at the cost of US$100 million.

The president who is in China for a State visit at the invitation of President Hu, is today scheduled to address investors at the Business Forum organised jointly by the Zambia Development Agency and the CNMC in Beijing.