On March 21, 2016, Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and the Standing Committee of National People's Congress (NPC), who was attending the 134th Congress of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and paying an official goodwill visit to Zambia, came to visit the Lusaka Subzone of Zambia-China Economic & Trade Cooperation Zone (ZCCZ) invested and constructed by China Nonferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co., Ltd. (CNMC), accompanied by Inonge Wina, Vice President of Zambia, Wang Chen, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Standing Committee of NPC, Fu Ying, chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of NPC, Zhang Yesui, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Yang Youming, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia. Zhang Keli, General Manager and Party Secretary of CNMC, who was engaged in investigation of the invested enterprises in Zambia, Tao Xinghu, Deputy General Manager resident in Africa and Board Chairman and President of CNMCL, and responsible comrades of the major invested enterprises of CNMCL in Zambia received the delegation led by Chairman Zhang Dejiang and Vice President Inonge Wina.

During the visit, General Manager Zhang Keli reported the developments of CNMC and ZCCZ to Chairman Zhang Dejiang, and expressed his sincere thanks to NPC for its long time care and guidance for CNMC. He noted in his report that, since its entrance to Zambia in 1998, CNMC had been constantly strengthening investment cooperation in Zambia, and actively promoting development of ZCCZ. By the end of 2015, CNMC had made cumulative investments in Zambia of more than USD 2.6 billion, paid cumulative taxes of USD 360 million, offered endowments of USD 20 million, and created 15,000 jobs for the locals, thereof 8,500 are from ZCCZ, with local employees accounting for more than 90%. At present, ZCCZ has had a cumulative investment of USD 187 million for infrastructure construction, and 55 companies and tenants have been settled there. The actual completed investment of ZCCZ is USD 1.57 billion, and accumulative sales revenue of the enterprises is USD 11.045 billion. CNMC has become the largest Chinese-invested enterprise in Zambia, and ZCCZ also has been considered as the overseas economic & trade cooperation zone featuring "the fastest progress, the best development, the most standardized management and the most beautiful environment". He said that CNMC will, with the support of both governments of China and Zambia, actively respond to the "New Normal" of international operation, deeply implement the "going out" strategy, continue to manage sound investment and development in the central and southern African countries such as Zambia, and strengthen construction of ZCCZ to build it into a landmark China-Africa cooperation demonstration project following the Tanzania-Zambia Railway, acting as an important bridge and link joining the "Chinese Dream" and "African Dream".

After debriefing, Chairman Zhang Dejiang was so delighted that he spoke highly of the development achievements of CNMC and ZCCZ with such words as "good start, significant effect and broad prospect". In the following important speech, Chairman Zhang Dejiang noted that President Xi Jinping proposed the "10 China-Africa Cooperation Programs" at the Johannesburg Summit of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation last year, and also indicated that China should strengthen communication through similar economic & trade cooperation zones with the African countries such as Zambia. Over the past 30-odd years since reform and opening up, China has made remarkable achievements, from which a success experience is to invite investments through all kinds of economic & trade cooperation zones, so as to improve the technical level and ability to endure hardships of Chinese enterprises. To continue to strengthen friendly cooperation with Zambia, an important task for China is to well manage ZCCZ. ZCCZ is now going well, thanks no doubt to the support from the government and people of Zambia. The project, while gaining its success, also offers generous tax revenues, job opportunities and other services convenient and beneficial to the people, e.g. establishment of the China-Zambia Friendship Hospital. Thanks to the long-time contributions of CNMC and the invested enterprises to China's implementation of the "going out" strategy and the friendship between China and Zambia, China will continue to support investment cooperation of CNMC and other Chinese enterprises in Zambia to achieve mutual complementarity and win-win cooperation with Zambia. Moreover, as an important task for ZCCZ, it is also supposed to increase the local labor force level. It is comforting that CNMC is going to establish a vocational training school in Zambia, and the enterprise-run school can improve employability of the local young people and have them take office in the enterprises, and even send them to China for further development if the conditions permit in the future, so as to provide all kinds of talents for Zambia's economic development. Hope the government of Zambia, especially Vice President Inonge Wina, can continue to focus on construction and development of ZCCZ, and help to coordinate and solve the problems encountered in the process. China will continue to promote the Chinese enterprises to invest and develop in Zambia. CNMC is a state-owned enterprise in China, and also a new force for China's "going out". It is an outstanding enterprise, which enjoys a high reputation both in China and in the world. Especially in the current situation with low nonferrous metal prices and market demand shortage, CNMC's staff still insists on developing economic & trade cooperation subject to copper mining and smelting in Zambia, which is indeed commendable. It is a great support for Zambia, although a severe test for CNMC. China and Zambia should, in the light of ZCCZ, make joint efforts to further promote and expand friendly cooperation between the two countries in various aspects, implement the cooperation concept of "sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith" as well as the right balance between upholding principles and pursuing shared benefits in its Africa policy in ZCCZ, and embody them in China-Zambia cooperation. Besides, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce should also continue to focus on construction and development of ZCCZ. The problems proposed by them are universal, so we should think seriously about how to offer support and the right guidance to actively help the enterprises solve practical difficulties. Let's work together to implement President Xi Jinping's important instructions and CCP Central Committee's "going out" strategy, so as to promote economic & trade cooperation between China and Zambia, and establish a monument for friendly cooperation. Thank Vice President Inonge Wina and the ministers again for their substantial support for China-Zambia cooperation and care for ZCCZ. Hope the friendly cooperation between China and Zambia can proceed to a new stage.

Vice President Inonge Wina extended a warm welcome to Chairman Zhang Dejiang's visit to Zambia this time. She said that China has always been a good friend for the people of Zambia, and the two peoples enjoy a long history of traditional friendship. The Chinese-invested enterprises of CNMC in Zambia, especially ZCCZ, offered valuable job opportunities for the local people, and paid generous tax revenues to the local government, thus making indelible contributions to social and economic development of Zambia. The government of Zambia will, as always, be committed to creating a stable investment environment to support development of the Chinese invested enterprises of CNMC and of ZCCZ, and attract more Chinese investors to invest and develop in Zambia, so as to carry forward the "all-weather friendship" between China and Zambia.

Chairman Zhang Dejiang and Vice President Inonge Wina visited the "Chinese Brand Machinery & Equipment Exhibition" and "China Zambia Economic & Trade Cooperation Achievements Exhibition", accompanied by Zhang Keli, General Manager of CNMC, and Tao Xinghu, Chairman of Board of Directors of CNMCL. When stopping over in front of CNMC's exhibition panel, Chairman Zhang Dejiang kindly asked about operation of the invested enterprises of CNMC in Zambia including NFC, CLM, CCS and CCS, and watched products of the enterprises settled in ZCCZ, such as copper ore, copper concentrate, cathode copper, steel ball, engineering machinery, white spirit and edible fungus, with great interest. In addition, Chairman Zhang Dejiang and Vice President Inonge Wina also visited to the edible fungus workshop of Zambia JLOAG Agriculture Co., Ltd., an enterprise settled in ZCCZ.

On the afternoon, Chairman Zhang Dejiang delivered an important speech after taking intimate group photos with the representatives of Chinese invested enterprises, overseas Chinese representatives and embassy staff, including Zhang Keli, General Manager of CNMC, Tao Xinghu, Chairman of Board of Directors of CNMCL, and responsible comrades of the invested enterprises of CNMC in Zambia. He expressed full affirmation to their settlement in Africa, as well as their contributions to China-Zambia friendship and China-Africa friendship and their achievements, extended heartfelt thanks, and proposed expectations and requirements in the three aspects including "firm confidence", "hard struggle" and "bold dedication". He specially noted in his speech that the embassy and CNMC did a lot of meticulous work for this visit to allow the visit to go smoothly, and he also extended thanks for their hard work, proposed expectations for their new greater achievements, and gave his best regards to the comrades.

CNMC ranked No. 390 in the "Fortune Global 500" in 2015. It is one of the earliest and most successful enterprises in China's nonferrous industry that develop international cooperation in Africa, and has been awarded the title of "Top 10 Chinese Enterprises in Africa". ZCCZ invested by CNMC in Zambia is the first overseas economic & trade cooperation zone of CNMC in Africa and the first multi functional economic zone in Zambia, which opens up the new pattern of cluster "going out" for the Chinese enterprises. ZCCZ consists of Chambishi Subzone and Lusaka Subzone, with a total planning area of 17.19 km2. During implementation of the "going out" strategy, CNMC always receives tender care from the CPC and state leaders such as Chairman Zhang Dejiang. Chairman Zhang Dejiang visited the CNMC-invested enterprises: Daye Nonferrous Metals Group Holdings Co., Ltd. and CNMC Ningxia Orient Group Co. Ltd. respectively in November 2008 and May 2010, and also visited CNMC Headquarters in August 2010, and wrote the inscription of "innovation & struggle, scientific development".