MUFULIRA, Zambia, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's involvement in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will benefit the Zambians in the long run through increased economic growth , a civic leader said on Monday.

Gift Mushinge, Mufulira mayor, said most African countries were aligning themselves with the BRI as a strategy to enhance their trade positions with the rest of the world.

He said Zambia should not lag behind to be part of the BRI as it will benefit the nation on a long-term basis.

"As a civic leader I'm happy that Zambia is involved in BRI programs with China," he said.

In an interview with Xinhua, Mushinge also commended the Zambian government on its position to be part of BRI.

Chinese are currently working on many infrastructure projects in Zambia which include the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Masaiti water reticulation system and Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport as well as some major road networks.

Local resident Noel Phiri has commended the government for contracting Chinese enterprise Avic International Corporation Construction Company to work on the township roads in Mufulira.

"The works on our township roads which were in a deplorable state shows how committed the government is in uplifting the living standards of the people," he said.

The Chinese firm was in January 2018 contracted to work on over 300 kilometers of township roads in Kitwe, Mufulira and Chingola towns in the Copperbelt Province.

Phiri said the Chinese firm has proved to be working professionally on various projects in Zambia.

"Avic seem to have gotten a good number of contracts, I presume it could be because of the way the construction firm is executing its work professionally," he said.

Phiri is optimistic that Zambians will learn skills from the Avic experts that will be of benefit to them.