On August 20, 2026, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Hakainde Hichilema on his re-election as President of the Republic of Zambia.

President Xi Jinping noted that in recent years, the two sides have had two meetings and jointly guided the development of China-Zambia relations. The two countries have continued to deepen political mutual trust, achieved fruitful outcomes in practical cooperation, and maintained close coordination and cooperation in multilateral affairs. Xi Jinping said that he attaches great importance to the development of the bilateral relations and stands ready to work with President Hakainde Hichilema to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), carry forward the traditional friendship, firmly support each other, and continue to upgrade the level of mutually beneficial cooperation. The two sides will, in doing so, take the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to new heights and deliver more benefits to the two peoples.