The Chinese government has offered 200 Zambian students scholarship awards this year to pursue various degree programs in China, a Chinese envoy said Wednesday.

Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Yang Youming said at a pre-departure ceremony held for the beneficiaries in Lusaka that education is one of the important areas of cooperation between China and Zambia.

"At present, more than 2,000 Zambian students are studying in China, and China has become the favorite destination for Zambian youth to study overseas," he said.

He said the 200 students have been accepted under various scholarships programs, and among them, 26 students will be studying vocal and dancing under a program initiated by first ladies of the two countries.

The envoy said apart from scholarships, the Chinese government was also actively engaged in the development of Zambia's human resource, with over 1,500 Zambians from government departments being trained by Chinese government since 2013.

The Chinese government, he said, has also increased financial aid to Zambia's education sector, which includes building schools and provision of other technical services.

Zambia's First Lady Esther Lungu commended the Chinese government for its unwavering support to Zambia in various sectors, including the education sector.

"This commitment shows how determined China is to see Zambia become economically independent. Economic independence cannot come without education," she said.

She urged the students to be role models and represent the country well, adding that the government and the parents expect the best from them.