China's top legislator holds talks with speaker of Zambia's National Assembly on relations

China

China's top legislator holds talks with speaker of Zambia's National Assembly on relations

2024-10-30 20:59 Last Updated At：23:07

China's top legislator Zhao Leji held talks with Speaker of Zambia's National Assembly Nelly Mutti in Beijing on Wednesday to discuss relations between their two countries, including cooperation and exchange between the legislative bodies of the two countries.

During the talks, Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, recalled that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema had a successful meeting on the sidelines of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September, and made important strategic guidance on future development of bilateral relations, adding that the two heads of state on Tuesday exchanged congratulatory messages on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

China is ready to work with Zambia to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, and take the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to closely align the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with Zambia's eighth national development plan, so as to build an even closer China-Zambia community with a shared future, Zhao said.

Noting that exchanges and cooperation between the legislative bodies of China and Zambia are an important part of the friendly relations between the two countries, Zhao said the NPC is willing to strengthen exchanges with Zambia's National Assembly, and contribute to the development of China-Zambia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

He said the two countries need to continue deepening political mutual trust and further consolidating the political foundation of bilateral relations.

He thanked Zambia for its firm support for China on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns.

Zhao said that based on the functions and responsibilities of legislative bodies, the two sides should expand practical cooperation, properly communicate and coordinate with each other on policy information, laws and regulations, and promote promulgation and revision of the relevant legal documents.

The two sides should actively promote international cooperation and strengthen coordination and cooperation within the framework of multilateral mechanisms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and jointly implement the outcomes of the FOCAC summit in Beijing to ensure early harvests, he said.

Noting that under the guidance of the two heads of state, bilateral relations have been elevated to comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, Mutti said China has always stood by Zambia and is a good and trustworthy partner.

Zambia's National Assembly is willing to strengthen friendly exchanges with the NPC, further give play to the role of the bilateral friendship group, and play the positive role as a legislative body in promoting in-depth development of bilateral relations, she said.

At the invitation of Zhao, Mutti is leading a delegation to visit China from Oct 25 to 31.

Israeli strike kills at least 109 in northern Gaza

2024-10-31 10:53 Last Updated At：11:07

At least 109 Palestinians, including many children, were killed, and dozens wounded in an Israeli air raid on a residential building in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza on Tuesday.

A China Global Television Network (CGTN) reporter in Gaza visited the bombsite and interviewed survivors and residents nearby, who recalled the raid and spoke of the current situation.

One of the residents, Hassan Abu Al-Nasr, said the strike demolished their home. Despite their best efforts to rescue people and pull bodies from the rubble, more bodies, three to four times of those pulled out, are still buried in ruins, and they are helpless to do anything about them.

"The targeted building belongs to the Abu Al-Nasser family in Beit Lahia. Living in the house were more than 300 people. It's a five-story building with residents on each floor. They are from Qatra Village, the Jabalia Camp and Beit Lahia. They bombed the entire house, right over the heads of the residents inside. We could do nothing. As you see, all the bodies are in streets. But there are three to four times as many bodies buried under the destroyed house that was bombed. Can you see how the house was destroyed? The entire house has completely collapsed. It is filled with dead bodies inside. Can you see? It's filled with the bodies of residents, the bodies of the family members who lived on those floors, the owners and the families who lived there. There are too many victims, as you can see. They are all families. All families," he said.

The Beit Lahia municipality on Wednesday declared the city in northern Gaza a "disaster" area due to ongoing Israeli attacks.

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza has risen to 43,163, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Wednesday.