Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit: Its importance

17 Jan, 2020 - 00:01 0 Views
Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit: Its importance President Emmerson Mnangagwa welcomes visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Mr Wang Yi at State House in Harare earlier this week while Vice President Constantino Chiwenga (left) looks on

The ManicaPost

Post Reporter

The recent visit to Zimbabwe by Chinese Foreign Minister Mr Wang Yi and the high-level meetings he held with President Mnangagwa, Vice President Chiwenga and several Government ministers send a clear signal regarding China’s commitment to co-operation with this country.

China’s impact on Zimbabwe and Africa in general is there for all to see.

The Asian country’s investments have created many jobs in the construction, mining, manufacturing and information technology industries.

It’s financial grants have contributed to economic growth, particularly in sectors where Western governments and international financial institutions such as the World Bank  and International Monetary Fund have been unwilling to go.

China’s willingness to invest in mega infrastructure such as the Victoria Falls International Airport, the Kariba South Hydro Power Station, the ongoing Hwange Power Station and Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport expansions, the new Parliament Building among others signify commitment of the highest order.

Beijing has also provided the much needed political support to Zimbabwe at the United Nations when it prevented the UN Security Council from sanctioning Zimbabwe in July 2008 and this has gone a long way in averting international isolation.

Zimbabwe and China are working on further consolidating their relationships which have since been elevated from being all-weather friends to a strategic comprehensive partnership.

The relations have risen to new heights over the past few years as reflected in the broad range of areas in which the two countries co-operate, politically, economically and culturally.

Mr Wang paid a courtesy call on President Mnangagwa at State House where the two discussed several issues concerning the two countries. President Mnangagwa described  the meeting as “fruitful”.

“He is very happy that we had the occasion to go over our relations — China and Zimbabwe —on all issues and he goes home satisfied that our relations are on solid foundation. We scaled up our relations in September 2019 from all-weather friendship to strategic comprehensive partnership,” said President Mnangagwa.

The fact that during the Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit, Zimbabwe submitted five new projects for consideration serves to demonstrate that relations and economic co-operation continue to grow from strength to strength.

The projects were submitted through a ministerial team chaired by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo, which was mandated by President Mnangagwa to find ways of mainstreaming the country’s economic cooperation with China.

The committee also worked with Vice President Chiwenga and the Chinese Embassy.

China has been an ally of Zimbabwe since the days of the liberation struggle and this friendship has continued to deepen in the post-independence era.

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