LUSAKA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- China is among leading investors in Zambia and its investment is critical to driving the country's economic development, a Zambian think tank has said.

The Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR) said Chinese investment has already yielded significant economic benefits such as job creation, technology transfer, infrastructure development, and human capital development.

"Chinese investment cuts across various sectors such as agriculture, mining, and infrastructure," Zali Chikuba, acting chief executive officer of the ZIPAR, was quoted as saying by state-run Zambia Daily Mail on Thursday.

He made the remarks on Wednesday at a meeting organized by the think tank, which focuses on Chinese investment in Zambia. Chikuba said the meeting was organized to consider empirical research that examines the dynamics of interactions between Zambian citizens and Chinese investors.

Chipokota Mwanawasa, policy advisor to Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, said during the meeting that the government is looking to expand and deepen the relationship between Zambian companies and Chinese investors.

The Zambian government is committed to ensuring that the link continues to spur economic growth, create jobs, and raise living standards across the country, she said.■