Dora Siliya (C-R), Zambia's Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, shakes hands with Zhang Maoyu, Vice Chairman of China International Development Cooperation Agency, during the completion ceremony of a China-funded village TV project in Chongwe, Lusaka province, Zambia, on June 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun)

CHONGWE, Zambia, June 14 (Xinhua) -- China handed over to the Zambian side on Thursday a completed project providing hundreds of local villages access to satellite TV.

The project, which was officially launched in June last year by President Edgar Lungu, saw the installation of satellite television sets in 500 villages in the country's 10 provinces.

The project benefited 1,500 public areas and 10,000 households across the country.

Li Jie, Chinese Ambassador to Zambia, commended the two countries for the successful completion and handover of the project, adding that Zambia was one of the first 30 countries in Africa under the China-aided Access to Satellite TV project.

He said the project plays an important part in the China-Africa people-to-people cooperation plan.

"The successful implementation of the project opens a window for various Zambian rural families to obtain information from the outside world," said the ambassador.

According to him, through satellite TV, villagers have learned and mastered knowledge and skills in agriculture, science and technology, health and other sectors which was helping them reduce poverty and promote economic development.

Dora Siliya (R, Front), Zambia's Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, and Zhang Maoyu (L, Front), Vice Chairman of China International Development Cooperation Agency, pose for a photo after signing the handover documents during the completion ceremony of a China-funded village TV project in Chongwe, Lusaka Province, Zambia, on June 13, 2019. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun)

The project, he said, offers residents in rural areas of Zambia to connect to the outside world as well as created jobs for local people as 1,100 people have been trained under the project to provide follow-up technical support and services in order to ensure a long-term stable operation of the project.

Dora Siliya, Zambia's Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, said her ministry has been inundated with requests from various parts of the country to have the satellite televisions installed.

She said the project has provided opportunities for local people to get involved in the running of the affairs of the nation as they are able to follow issues through watching the televisions.

Zambia, she said, was grateful that it was one of the beneficiaries of the project and added that the country appreciates the support from China.

She further urged beneficiaries of the project to guard the equipment jealously in order to ensure its sustainability.