China and Africa celebrate ‘shared dream’

Today China is Zimbabwe’s top source of foreign investment and has helped the country with a number of infrastructure projects.

South Africa’s presidency said in a statement that the 26 agreements had taken bilateral cooperation between the two countries to a higher level.

During his stay, President Xi and his Zimbabwean counterpart President Mugabe oversaw the signing of 12 agreements between Zimbabwe and China – two of which are private sector driven.

After attaining political independence, President Mugabe said, Zimbabwe embarked on another struggle to empower people economically.

This marks the first visit of a Chinese leader to the country since 1996.

In a bylined article published in the local newspaper the Herald, Xi touted the close ties with Zimbabwe as being “a cornerstone” of China’s foreign policy, despite constant and complex changes in the worldwide landscape.

Xi Jinping is in South Africa for a two-day state visit which coincides with the hosting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which begins Friday.

Prior to the talks, Zuma hosted a 21-gun salute welcome ceremony at the Union Buildings for Xi, who arrived in Pretoria just hours ago for a state visit to South Africa.

However, according to the 2016 budget, Western countries are providing support to Zimbabwe to the tune of $180 Meanwhile Mr. Xi has left for South Africa where he will attend a summit on Africa China co-operation. Trade between South Africa and China more than doubled in the four years to 2013 to 271 billion rand ($19 billion), the South African statistics office said.

South African state owned enterprises including Eskom, Transnet, the Industrial Development Corporation, SA National Space Agency and the SA Nuclear Corporation also signed deals with Chinese institutions.

Mr. Xi said Zimbabwe and China must deepen their co-operation for the benefit of their peoples. “It has milestone importance to the development of Africa-China relations and more balanced, inclusive and sustainable development of the world”, said the leader of the world’s most populous country.

Xi described Zimbabwe as an “all-weather friend” of China.

“We’re still confident about China-Africa trade” because of positive developments in Africa including its growing population and abundant resources, Qian said.

“This is an historic event as it is the first time the summit has been held on African soil, and it represents an important platform for high-level dialogue and cooperation. It’s only in the past 6 and 7 years that we have started an economic relationship”, the finance minister said.

China’s economic downturn has had a knock-on effect on African countries that export raw materials to China’s once-booming industries.