Zambia's Minister of Labor and Social Security Joyce Simukoko (C) poses for a group photo with Zambian workers awarded by Chinese enterprises for their outstanding performance, in Lusaka, capital of Zambia, May 5, 2019. Thirty Zambian workers engaged by Chinese enterprises have received awards for their outstanding performance. Zambia's Minister of Labor and Social Security Joyce Simukoko and Chinese Ambassador Li Jie presented the awards at an event on Sunday organized by the Association of Chinese Corporations in Zambia. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun)

LUSAKA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Thirty Zambian workers engaged by Chinese enterprises have received awards for their outstanding performance.

Zambia's Minister of Labor and Social Security Joyce Simukoko and Chinese Ambassador Li Jie presented the awards at an event on Sunday organized by the Association of Chinese Corporations in Zambia.

The Chinese envoy commended the enterprises for awarding the local employees, saying accomplishments of the enterprises in Zambia could not be achieved without the support from the government and society.

The awards will not only encourage the recipients to work even harder but will also inspire other workers, Li said.

The flourishing of Chinese enterprises in Zambia has not only promoted prosperity and progress of the southern African nation's economy and society but has also become an example of mutually beneficial cooperation and common development between the two countries, he said.

"Chinese corporations in Zambia have become an important driving force for economic and social development of Zambia and economic and trade exchanges between our two countries," Li said.

Chinese enterprises, he said, have hired as many as 50,000 local employees, helping Zambia tackle unemployment.

Zambian labor minister Simukoko, on her part, said the government appreciates efforts by the Chinese business association in fostering coexistence between the Chinese and Zambian workers regardless of cultural and customs differences.

"It is gratifying to learn that workers work shoulder-to-shoulder with unity of purpose in your various companies," she said.

Zambia remains thankful to the strong bond of friendship that has existed for close to 55 years with China, not only at political level but trickling down to individuals in various fields of life, Simukoko said.

She urged local employees to emulate Chinese workers in their attitude toward work.

Thomas Ngulube, one of the award recipients, said he was happy with the support received during his time working for China Railway Seventh Group (Zambia) Ltd.

Ngulube, who studied at Hunan University in 2008 and obtained a degree in civil engineering, thanked the Chinese firm for offering him an opportunity to apply in practice what he learned for the development of Zambia.

Another awardee, Richard Kasawa, an employee of the Zambia China Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, said working with Chinese supervisors has helped him learn the determination they have to achieve goals.

Kasawa, an electrical technician, said his supervisors encouraged him into believing that he could do anything despite the challenges he encountered in his early years.

The company's desire to see its employees equipped with the required and appropriate skills to meet daily tasks has been the most motivating part of his career, Kasawa said.

Jackson Phiri, another award recipient who works at China Harbor Engineering Company, said the Chinese firm has not only been a workplace but also a social university.

Phiri, who obtained Chinese government scholarship to study in China, said he started a new learning career the moment he started working for the Chinese firm, adding that he has learned not only professional skills but also a lot about "the ways of good living."