Top legislator Wu Bangguo met in Beijing Wednesday with Lupando Augustine Festus Mwape, vice president of the Republic of Zambia.

Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, expressed his delight with the sound relations between China and Zambia.

He said the good political ties between the two countries have created favorable conditions for the development of reciprocal economic cooperation.

"China and Zambia are complementary economically," he said, adding that the two are both faced with the tasks of developing economies, safeguarding the interests of developing countries and promoting world peace.

"China is ready to join hands with Zambia to boost the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries in the economic and trade sectors," Wu said.

He also hailed the exchanges between the two parliaments, saying that cooperation between the NPC and the National Assembly of Zambia has scored new progress.

Wu visited Zambia in November 2004 while Zambian National Assembly Speaker Amusaa K. Mwanamwambwa visited China in July this year.

Mwape expressed his appreciation of China for its long-term assistance to Zambia.

He said Zambia firmly abides by the one-China policy and supports China's efforts of realizing peaceful reunification.

Mwape said that Zambia welcomes Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in his country and join hands with Zambian counterparts to explore its rich natural resources.

Mwape is visiting China at the invitation of Vice President Zeng Qinghong.

Before coming to Beijing, he visited Shenzhen and Guangzhou in south China's Guangdong Province and the business hub of Shanghai in east China.

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2005)