On Nov. 23rd, Xia Geng, Vice Governor of Shandong Province, met with the delegation attending the seminar for ministerial officials from Zambia led by Nathaniel Mubukwanu, Governor of Western Province, Zambia, having in-depth exchanges on further enhancing Shandong-Zambia bilateral cooperation. Xia Geng briefed the guests on economic and social development and social management experience of Shandong province, and hoped the two sides will focus on deepening cooperation in infrastructure construction, manufacturing, agriculture and other areas and expand the scale of bilateral trade. Nathaniel Mubukwanu said Zambia is the first country in Southern Africa to establish diplomatic ties with China; The old generation of leaders of the two countries have built up profound friendship which lays a good foundation for future cooperation; Zambia would like to conduct all-directional, multi-domain and deep-level cooperation with Shandong. Wei Huaxiang, Deputy Secretary General of Shandong Provincial People’s Government, She Chunming, Director-General of the Department of Commerce of Shandong Province, Ren Haitao, Deputy Director of the Department of Commerce of Shandong Province, officers of concerned departments and Li Xiaobing, Academy for International Business Officials (AIBO), MOFCOM, accompanied to attend the meeting. Before the meeting, Deputy Secretary Wei Huaxiang chaired Shandong-Zambia Exchange and Cooperation Forum, attracting the departments such as Shandong Development and Reform Commission, Department of Agriculture of Shandong Province, Department of Commerce of Shandong Province and Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong Provincial People’s Government and heads from Shandong Electric Power Construction Corporation (SEPCO), Shandong Dejian Group Co., Ltd., Qingdao Ruichang Cotton Industrial Co., Ltd. and other business leaders to participate in discussion. The seminar for Zambia ministerial-level officials was hosted by MOFCOM and organized by AIBO. The members comprised of Minister of Development Planning of Zambia and ten provincial governors from West Province, Muchinga and other eight provinces. The visit was to investigate and study economic and social development and social management experience of Shandong province so as to promote local economic development in Zambia.