LUSAKA, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and visiting Mozambican President Daniel Francisco Chapo on Thursday held talks aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation.

In his remarks at the meeting, Hichilema reaffirmed the warm and longstanding relations between Zambia and Mozambique, saying the two nations are interdependent, sharing natural resources such as rivers and enjoying strong people-to-people ties.

The Zambian leader emphasized the need to deepen cooperation beyond politics by partnering in areas such as infrastructure development to boost trade and investment. He thanked Mozambique for helping supply electricity to Zambia amid its current power deficit, noting that industrial operations would have suffered without the support.

Hichilema also urged joint efforts to strengthen energy-sector collaboration, including through shared venture projects, and called for accelerated efforts on the Nacala and Beira corridors to facilitate the smooth movement of goods between the two countries and within the wider region.

He further reaffirmed Zambia's commitment to working with Mozambique in protecting natural resources and tackling the impacts of climate change.

For his part, Chapo said the two countries should continue to collaborate in pursuing economic independence. He commended Zambia for its historical support for Mozambique's independence struggle and emphasized the need for continued partnership to address shared development challenges.

Chapo added that Mozambique is advancing plans for joint projects in electricity generation and gas power development to help address energy shortages in both countries.

Chapo arrived in Zambia on Wednesday for a three-day working visit. ■