LUSAKA -- Chinese companies in Zambia on Friday held a job expo on the sidelines of the 95th Agricultural and Commercial Show aimed at attracting prospective job seekers.

A total of 16 Chinese companies attended the event, organized by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Zambia. On the first day, hundreds of prospective job seekers thronged the Chinese pavilion, where the companies were exhibiting to try their luck for employment.

Li Tie, president of the CCCZ, said the job expo represents a landmark initiative aimed at bridging the gap between employers and job seekers in Zambia.

"This platform provides unique opportunities for our esteemed local and multinational companies to search for talent in an exclusive manner without discrimination, while at the same time inspiring economic transformation through increased productivity by the talented workforce that will be recruited," he said.

According to him, the holding of the expo was the organization's interpretation of this year's theme for the show dubbed "Inclusive Economic Transformation."

He said unemployment has remained a pressing problem for many countries in the world, including Zambia, adding that the organization has committed itself to championing job creation and economic growth in Zambia.

The event, he said, was meant to celebrate the spirit of cooperation and partnership between China and Zambia, adding that the platform was also meant to allow individuals to exhibit their talents and skills in order to transform the country into a thriving hub of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Brenda Tambatamba, Zambia's minister of labor and social security, commended the organization for providing opportunities for job seekers to connect with potential employers.

The job expo, she said, is an important intervention in addressing the high youth unemployment in the country, which currently stands at 17.4 percent. "It provides a bridge between universities, colleges and industries. The job expo is in line with the government's aspiration of enhancing human and social development by equipping the youth with skills to enable them to participate in the national economy."

Meanwhile, a number of prospective job seekers expressed happiness at the job opportunities provided by Chinese companies.

Albert Kazembe, who was looking for a job as a human resource development officer, said he was impressed with the transparent way of recruiting exhibited by the Chinese companies.

"I want to work for the Chinese firm one hundred percent because they are nice people and don't tolerate corruption," he said.

Obert Shamulele, who was hoping to get a job as an electrician in one of the companies, said he would love to work with the Chinese because of their dedication to work and a higher level of thinking.

"We need to cooperate with China in order to develop Zambia," he added.