Lai Bo, political counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Zambia, speaks during a jobs expo at the University of Zambia in Lusaka, Zambia, Oct. 26, 2018. Zambia's Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia on Friday held a jobs expo where Chinese firms based in the southern African nation showcased themselves and tried to lure students to join them. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun)
LUSAKA, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia on Friday held a jobs expo where Chinese firms based in the southern African nation showcased themselves and tried to lure students to join them.
Held in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy and Chamber of Commerce of China, the second expo attracted 14 Chinese enterprises that took time to explain to prospective job seekers the jobs on offer.
Lai Bo, political counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Zambia, said the event is a significant sign of the close people-to-people exchanges between China and Zambia in line with one of the eight initiatives of the 2018 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit.
"I hope that both Zambian students and Chinese companies take this precious opportunity, work together to create a better future for individuals, enterprises and the friendship between China and Zambia," he said.
China, he said, pays special attention to the younger generation in both China and Africa, adding that education plays a crucial role in the development of young people.
China attaches great importance to the cooperation with Zambia in the education sector, with about 4,000 Zambian students currently studying in various universities in China, Lai said.
The Confucius Institute has become one of the most important education platforms for promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and that more than 10,000 Zambian students have learned the Chinese language through the institute in the past eight years, he said.
Luke Mumba, vice-chancellor at the University of Zambia (UNZA), said the jobs expo was targeted at graduates as the country's future prosperity depends on their education, skills and creativity.
He said the expo offers a unique opportunity to form platform partnerships between potential employers and employees.
Preparing young people to meet the challenges and opportunities in a knowledge-based economy requires concerted efforts of all stakeholders, Mumba said, adding that businesses and enterprises at the expo had an indispensable role to play by absorbing graduates.
Linda Yan, a human resources manager at Avic International, one of the firms that participated at the expo, said the company hopes to get more young Zambians to join the firm.
She told Xinhua that her company, which has already employed hundreds of Zambians, is targeting skilled graduates from the university.
Yan said local employees have done a lot in helping the firm achieve its objectives.
Lisa Li, business manager at China Harbor Engineering Company Limited Zambia, expressed gratitude over the enthusiasm shown by the prospective employees who were inquiring about job prospects in the company.
She said her company was looking for young graduates to push the company forward.
Chalwe Chipili, a fourth-year student in political science and statistics, said young people were finding it difficult to find jobs even after graduating from universities, adding that the holding of the expo was one way of ensuring that the graduates got opportunities to find jobs.
Bertha Nkunika, also fourth-year student, said she was at the expo to check if there could be any job opportunities in line with her major, mass communications.
