LUSAKA, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Zambia needs to keep focused in cementing its relations with China because the Asian nation offers valuable lessons for accelerating development, a Zambian expert said on Thursday.

Caesar Cheelo, Senior Research Fellow at the Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR), a local think-tank involved in conducting research and policy analysis, said Zambia stands to benefit from maintaining its relations with China which has impressive long-term development planning.

In a paper presented during a discussion on "Unfinished Business in China-Zambia Relations: Policy Ideas for Promoting Development" at the University of Zambia (UNZA), the expert said China offers important economic lessons for Zambia to tap into at both macro and micro level.

China, he said, has already shown its global interests and intention through various measures such as the opening up, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which Zambian needs to tap into to spur development.

"Zambia needs to understand China, and plan and strategize for it," he said.

According to the expert, it was evident that China's influence in the global economy offers Zambia an opportunity to tap into the benefits which it offers as the Asian nation was the second biggest economy in the world and offers the largest territory in trade after the European Union (EU).

Zambia needs to come up with pragmatic measures which will ensure mutual engagement with China, he said, adding that Zambia should establish an official public information sharing system to dispel misconceptions and misunderstandings about China.