FOCAC summit to deepen China-Africa relations

Chinese President Xi Jinping, chats to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, right, upon his arrival in Harare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Xi will hold talks with South African President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria today before the sixth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) opens in Johannesburg’s financial district of Sandton.

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.

“China lauded the role Mugabe has played in safeguarding African unity and promoting development of the continent as the rotating chairman of the African Union”, said Xi in a snub to Western nations who have imposed sanctions on leaders in the country, including Mugabe himself.

Mugabe looked sharp as he welcomed Xi at the Harare International Airport shortly after 10am yesterday.

This new approach to Africa – a major hot spot for Chinese investment – could illustrate how China tries to strike that balance globally as its business interests expand.

“For instance, we have coal, and if Chinese investors can bring in the equipment, then we may generate power to not only Zimbabwe, but other countries in this region”, Chinamasa added.

Huang Ping, Chinese Ambassador to Harare, said China pumped in more than 0 million into the country in 2013, making it the biggest foreign investor in the nation, so far.

China has pledged $100 million of military aid for the African Union, sent an infantry battalion to support peacekeeping efforts in South Sudan and deployed frigates to fight piracy off the Somali coast, leading the country to consider building its first overseas naval resupply station in Djibouti.

“This agreement has provided a vital guidance for the growth of China-Zimbabwe relations”.

“During President Robert Mugabe’s visit to China in August 2015, Harare and Beijing penned a series of deals, mostly in the energy, telecommunications and infrastructure sectors”.

Ahead of a state visit to South Africa, the Chinese president suggested both sides should always advance the bilateral relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective and continuously cement and enhance political mutual trust.

Xi may have to spend some time on this trip reassuring African leaders that trade relations will remain strong, said Aubrey Hruby, a Washington D.C.-based economist.

Beijing Automotive Group Co. will invest as much as 11 billion rand in what could become the biggest auto plant in South Africa, Trade Minister Rob Davies said in an interview after the press conference.

The Focac summit will be held under the theme “Africa-China Progressive Together: Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development”. He said if Zimbabwe signed the agreement on production, it will be the sixth country in Africa.