Chinese ambassador to Zambia Li Qiangmin has said the economic boom that Zambia has recorded needs to boosted by more infrastructure such as the Tanzania Zambia Railways (TAZARA).

Speaking when he received a report that provides a blueprint on how the rail line can be revived from TAZARA managing director Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Li said the Zambian economy was poised for further growth.

He said the Zambian economy was on course because of the natural wealth and policies but should be supported by infrastructure.

"At the moment, the economy is booming due to good leadership and more investors are coming," Mr Li said.

Mr Lisaid the bilateral relations between Zambia and China had continued to grow and noted that TAZARA was the biggest project to be constructed in any African country to show how passionate that the people of China were about relations of Zambia and Tanzania.

He said before China approved the project Zambia approached several countries for the rail line to be constructed and the project remains the most successful in Africa through its contribution to the economy of Zambia, Tanzania and some SADC member states.

Mr Li said Zambia, Tanzania and China had started implementing the 14th protocol signed at the start of this year on the improvement of the operations of TAZARA to match the anticipated growth of the cargo movement to the targeted one million tonnes per year.

Mr Li said the feasibility studies would commence within the next two months ahead of the comprehensive plan to boost the operations of the rail line.

Mr Mbikusita-Lewanika presented a set of reports which were a product of various studies and expert analysis about TAZARA on the rail line that was constructed in the early 1970s.

Mr Mbikusita-Lewanika said the current efforts to improve TAZARA operations started with a joint committee of ministers from both Zambia and Tanzania who made presentations to the Chinese government on the need to refocus TAZARA.

He said as the economy grows, it was envisaged that TAZARA would reach its maximum capacity and needs further expansion to accommodate the excess goods that would be produced.