LUSAKA, Nov. 8 -- A Chinese firm on Thursday officially commissioned its state-of-the art steel manufacturing plant in Zambia, which is believed to be able to advance local production of steel products in the southern African nation.

The Powerful Diligent Veracious (PDV) Metals Limited Steel plant, with a capacity to produce 300,000 metric tons of steel, is situated in the Lusaka South Multi Facility Economic Zone to the southeast of Lusaka, the Zambian capital. The plant, whose construction started last year, employs a unique, modern refining process and a comprehensive automated control system to produce high-quality steel.

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, who commissioned the plant, commended the Chinese investors for construction of the plant within 10 months. He said the investment was a testimony of the enhanced bilateral relations between China and Zambia following the upgrading of the cooperation to comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership last year.

He said the investment was a translation of the new enhanced cooperation, stressing that the two countries were now one family.

The Zambian president also urged the company to consider setting up an iron ore mine as the country has abundant iron ores which could be used in steel production at the plant. He directed the relevant ministries to ensure that a license was given to the Chinese firm to start an iron mine.

The Zambian president further urged the local workers to work hard and ensure that the business was a success.

Zeng Jun, the Chinese company's chairman, said the plant will go a long way in boosting the local production capacity of the manufacturing industry. He said the company has a program of transferring technological skills to local people through a training program.

The training was aimed at fostering a new generation of skilled labor, said Zeng.

Paul Kabuswe, the acting minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, said the establishment of the plant will trigger the development of an iron ore mine and trigger growth in other sectors.

  - Xinhua