China’s Xi Jinping Heads to Zimbabwe Ahead of Africa Summit

Chinese President Xi Jinping, reviewsan honor guard during a welcome ceremony at Union Building Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015.

Xi said he was looking forward to the Focac summit in Johannesburg and strengthening relations between China and the whole Africa.

China maintains trade surpluses with numerous African countries, including South Africa, a situation that analysts say should change as China’s investments spur Africa’s industrial capacity and China opens up its markets to goods produced in Africa.

The two leaders watched as cabinet ministers and industry leaders signed 26 bilateral agreements worth about $6.5 billion, that include a $500 million loan to Eskom, South Africa’s struggling national power supplier, according to a statement released by the South African government. Speaking Tuesday during the inaugural China-Africa Media Summit held in Cape Town, Radebe told delegates at the gathering that media leaders from both China and Africa have an opportunity to frame win-win solutions that would deepen the positive trajectory of co-operation and development. “Injecting fresh impetus into the future of China-Africa friendship and cooperation under the new conditions”. London-based BMI Research said China’s investments in Africa amounted to $32.4 billion at the end of 2014. According to Independent Media’s Group Foreign Editor Shannon Ebrahim, “The commitment of the People’s Republic of China to Africa’s development imperatives are a game changer on the continent, as with its assistance Africa will be able to leverage the necessary skills, finance, and technology to define its destiny”.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (picture) began a five-day African visit yesterday, which he would use to showcase China’s expanding role as a protector of regional security as well as a provider of infrastructure and consumer of resources.

“The media interest and activities around the FOCAC Summit proves the important place the media holds in opening up our cooperation at business-to-business, people-to-people and government-to-government levels”, he said.

The two-day summit of the political leadership of Africa and China will deal with the theme “China-Africa Progressing Together: Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development”. “There are other power projects which are going to be funded by China”, Chinamasa said, citing licenses that have been granted to Makomo Resources, China Africa Sunlight Energy and Per Lusulu Power.

Numerous African heads of state have confirmed attendance.

Xi arrived in Harare Tuesday mid-morning to a 21 gun salute and pomp and fanfare, as Zimbabweans and Chinese lined up the streets to greet Zimbabwe’s most high profile visitor in at least 20 years.