LUSAKA, April 24 -- China and Zambia on Friday signed an agreement under which China will provide Zambia a grant to jointly implement agreed cooperation projects.

Addressing the ceremony held in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Han Jing said the agreement is an important manifestation of the friendly relations between the two countries.

"The signing of this agreement is an important manifestation of China's sincere support for the Zambian people. The Chinese government and people have always stood with the Zambian government and people," Han said.

While acknowledging that China will continue to provide grant assistance to Zambia, Han emphasized that China has also been helping the country achieve self-driven development through capacity-building programs, including human resource training.

He said about 400 Zambian officials and technical personnel were invited to China last year for training in various fields to strengthen Zambia's capacity.

Han also pledged China's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Zambia across all sectors and working together to advance modernization.

The Chinese government, he added, is actively supporting Chinese enterprises in investing in Zambia to help accelerate the country's industrialization, modernization, and economic diversification.

For his part, Zambian Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane thanked the Chinese government for its support, noting that the signing is the culmination of decisions reached by the leaders of the two countries.

He said the two governments will hold talks to identify projects that will benefit from the grant, adding that the signing of the agreement is further proof of their commitment to implementing agreed initiatives.