By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA  in Beijing-China –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has ended his State visit to China and expressed happiness that the trip has ensured renewed friendship between Zambia and China at various levels.

.LUNGU

Mr Lungu told journalists here that in the 50 years of Zambia’s relationship with China, a good deal of bilateral agreements had been signed with a number of them implemented that have benefited the country in so many ways.
“I would like to give this friendship a new lease and added level of energy because if you don’t interact as colleagues, you tend to sleep over certain issues,” Mr Lungu said.
He said some of the agreements between Zambia and China had gone stale because of lack of constant bilateral meetings between the people in governments of the two countries.
The president, who was accompanied by First Lady Esther, said the trip to China has served as an audit of Zambia’s friendship with China and that what had come out of his meetings with Chinese authorities is the need to approach the relationship with more vigor.
This is because regions are now waking up to the realisation of the need to integrate, to move as an economic block and Zambia cannot afford to remain behind.
The president said with the trip he had undertaken to China, Zambians are now assured of realisation of his campaign promises for reduced prices of mealie-meal and other basic stuff.
“Prices of mealie-meal and other basic stuff have to come down definitely that is why I came to China and I am happy that investors have bought into our idea of putting up a milling plant in each of the ten provinces which will ensure a reduction in the price of mealie-meal,” he said.
President Lungu was in the morning in Shenzhen to see how the city, which 30 years ago was rural  is now an ultra-modern town.
The transformation cheered the President who has drawn valuable lessons and experience needed to help develop Zambia.
In Shenzhen, the president met managements of Huawei Technologies Company Limited and ZTE and urged them to help transfer technologies to Zambians and also provide constant training programmes to upgrade the skills of local people.
Meanwhile, President Lungu has been invited for a State visit to Uganda by his counterpart Yoweri Museveni.
Mr Lungu has been invited by Mr Museveni following a second meeting the two Heads of State held within two days here in Beijing.
Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, Amos Chanda told journalists here that the State visit Mr Lungu would undertake would focus on how the two countries can work together to deal with peace in the Great-Lakes region particularly in South Sudan.
President Lungu left China for Zambia at 18:00 hours Zambian time yesterday and is expected to arrive in the country today around 14:00 hours.