China deeply mourns the death of Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia's founding president, and expresses sincere sympathy to the Zambian government and people as well as to Kaunda's family, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Friday.

Kaunda was an old and good friend of the Chinese people, Zhao said. China is ready to work with Zambia to push forward China-Zambia and China-Africa friendship and cooperation, he noted.

Zambia's founding President Kenneth Kaunda died at 2:30 pm Thursday local time in Lusaka, capital of Zambia, according to the Zambian government.

An internationally renowned leader of African independence movements, politician and social activist, Kaunda had made historic contributions to the national independence of Zambia and the liberation movements of Southern Africa, Zhao said.

Kaunda was a founder of China-Zambia relations, having long been committed to the cause of China-Zambia friendship, Zhao said.

Kaunda once creatively put forward the term "all-weather friend," accurately and vividly describing the relations between the two countries, said Zhao.

Chairman Mao Zedong put forward the well-known "Three Worlds" theory when meeting with Kaunda in 1974, he added.

Some Chinese netizens expressed their mourning and respect toward Kaunda on social media on Friday. 

"Kaunda was an old friend to the Chinese people," one user wrote on Twitter-like Weibo. "I feel so sad for his passing away." "I heard a lot about Kaunda; he bravely fought against the Western forces," wrote another. 

Always standing firmly with China, Kaunda made important contributions to the restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

Kaunda had been committed to actively promoting the friendship and cooperation between Zambia and China. He announced that Zambia would establish diplomatic relations with China on October 24, 1964, the day after Zambia declared its independence. With efforts of both sides, China and Zambia soon officially built diplomatic ties and sent ambassadors to each other on October 29 that year.

Kaunda had slammed the allegations of Westerners that China is "grabbing resources in Africa." Amid the 45th anniversary of the establishment of China-Zambia diplomatic relations in 2009, he told the Chinese media that [some Western forces], who were accusing China of coming here to grab wealth, had actually been coming to the continent for hundreds of years to grab economic benefits.

China, instead, has helped many countries in Arica including Zambia to struggle for independence, and is continuing to work with the countries to help them develop their economies, Kaunda said.

Passengers leave a train after arriving at the Dar Es Salaam station of Tanzania-Zambia Railway in Dar Es Salaam, capital of Tanzania, Feb. 14, 2019.Photo:Xinhua

He cited the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) that was developed by China in the 1970s, saying the project was part of the contribution by China to the development of Africa, and a model of the friendship between Africa and China.

"That's what China is doing - helping us, as friends, genuine friends," Kaunda said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency in October 2009.

In November 2009, Kaunda was honored with the China-Africa Friendship Award in Beijing, and was chosen as one of the "Five African People Who Deeply Moved the Chinese People."

Citing TAZARA, the railway links Tanzania and Zambia, which was built by Chinese in the 1970s, Kaunda said the project was part of the contribution by China to the development of Africa and the model of the friendship between Africa and China.

Global Times