Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed in Zimbabwe

Chinese President Xi Jinping who was in the country on a two-day State visit left for South Africa this morning where he is scheduled to attend the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

Zimbabwe, which became a pariah in the West after President Robert Mugabe’s government was accused of rigging votes and abusing human rights, has increasingly turned to China for investment to help an economy desperate for new infrastructure like roads, power and water. Also present to receive the Chinese leader and his delegation were Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, Government ministers and service chiefs.

Several investment deals are set to be signed between the two countries at Zimbabwe’s State House on Tuesday evening and the ceremony will be presided over by Mugabe and his Chinese counterpart.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was met with a 21-gun salute as he arrived Tuesday in Zimbabwe, where there are high hopes that his country will help revive the struggling southern African economy. We are building Hwange 7 and 8.

“So, as far as we are concerned as Zimbabwe, the visit is very significant, it is deepening, broadening our economic co-operation”.

After more than a decade of economic crisis, Zimbabwe seems to be bouncing back, with heavy investment in development projects and also infrastructure.

While China has been one of the biggest assistance providers for African countries, it has never seen itself as the “patron” of their African friends and firmly supports solving African issues in an African way, Wang said.

Xi travels to South Africa where he will be from Wednesday through Saturday on his second state visit to that country.

Xi inspected a guard of honor at the airport but did not speak on his arrival.

“As you are aware, China is also funding expansion of the Kariba South Plant Expansion, which when complete in 2018, will add another 300MW,”he added”.

Africa has abundant renewable energy sources such as hydro power, geothermal, biomass, solar and wind energy, but it has not yet exploited them due to lack of funding.

“China is willing to establish three development systems in Africa that promote the processing and manufacturing industry, food security and public health”, said Liu.

Nigeria, the continent’s largest economy, has been another major player in China’s recent involvement in Africa.

Former Ambassador to China and war veterans’ leader, Christopher Mutsvangwa, is ecstatic about Mr. Xi’s visit. “What we are asking for is development and socioeconomic upliftment”, he said.

Trade between the two slumped 18 percent in the first nine months of 2015 from a year earlier, the largest decline in China’s trade with the world’s continents, according to China’s commerce ministry. We have also benefitted in the tobacco sector which has been revived with over 800million going into Zimbabwe pockets.

“We should forge a global partnership at both worldwide and regional levels, and embrace a new approach to state-to-state relations, one that features dialogue rather than confrontation, and seeks partnership rather than alliance”, Xi notes.