On June 30, 2015 (Zambia time), Zhang Keli, the General Manager and Party Committee Secretary of China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. (“CNMC”) - the holding group of our company (“CNMCL”), and Tao Xinghu, the Deputy General Manager of CNMC and President of CNMCL who went to enterprises under CNMCL built in Zambia for investigation went together to the presidential palace, to meet with President Edgar Lungu of Zambia.
Zhang Keli extended greetings to the president first, and introduced the investment and development conditions of CNMC and CNMCL in Zambia. Zhang Keli said the president had greatly inspired the enthusiasm of Chinese enterprises to invest and develop in Zambia as he went in person to CNMC headquarters during his visit to China in March this year, attended the Zambia-China Economy, Trade & Tourism Forum and delivered a keynote speech, met with Chinese entrepreneurs, and witnessed 11 enterprises sign the contracts and settle down in Zambia-China Economic & Trade Cooperation Zone (“ZCCZ”). He pointed out that CNMC and CNMCL had invested over USD2.6 billion accumulatively in Zambia during the past 17 years, built 1 mine at the beginning and had built 14 enterprises totally, creating jobs for over 14,000 people here, and had actively fulfilled social responsibilities. He said slower economic growth and lower copper price globally had brought great challenges for development of mine enterprises and Zambia’s economic development but CNMC and CNMCL would adhere to the concept “no reduction of output, no reduction of employees and no reduction of investment”, try the best to reduce cost and improve benefits through technical innovation and strengthened management and make concerted efforts with Zambia to overcome difficulties. He said CNMC and CNMCL would continuously increase investment in Zambia under the care of President Edgar Lungu and Chinese government and Zambian government and with strong support from Zambian people, to make contributions to economic and social development of Zambia and friendship between Zambia and China.
Edgar Lungu said that CNMC is a large enterprise in “Fortune Global 500” list and had continuously increased investment in Zambia in recent years, actively fulfilled social responsibilities and made great contributions to economic and social development of Zambia and that Zambian government would continue to support responsible enterprises like CNMC and CNMCL to develop in Zambia. He pointed out that it has proven CNMC and CNMCL are the most reliable partners of Zambia as CNMC acquired the copper mine at Luanshya during the global financial crisis and resumed the mine’s operation within a very short period of time, created jobs for a few thousand miners and regained the vitality of Luanshya, and hoped enterprises under CNMCL would continue to develop well in Zambia. He emphasized that Zambian governments at all levels would spare no effort to help these enterprises solve problems encountered during investment and development.
Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Yang Youming was present in the meeting, and spoke highly of investment and development of CNMC and CNMCL in Zambia and in central and southern parts of Africa, and praised that CNMC and CNMCL had contributed to the enhancement of friendship between China and Zambia.
Zambian Vice Minister of Presidential Palace, Permanent Secretary and the President’s News Assistant, General Manger Qian Baosen of Zambia-China Economic & Trade Cooperation Zone Development Ltd. and responsible people of relevant departments of CNMC headquarters attended the meeting.
