Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe and China’s Xi Jinping heap praise on each other

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.

President Zuma met with Xi Jinping on Wednesday, and the two nations have signed 26 strategic agreements, worth R94-billion.

“Zimbabwe’s parlous economic situation – a 45 percent decline in GDP between 1999 and 2008, a 90 percent jobless rate, chronic food insecurity, a yawning infrastructure deficit – Xi’s visit raises expectations of what China can, or should, do to help its stricken ally”, said The Source publication in Harare on Tuesday.

Chris Alden and Yu-shan Wu of the SA Institute of International Affairs noted, in an article in The Star a year ago, that the joint agreement between the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and China’s Hebei Iron and Steel Group to open a steel mill in Phalaborwa, was an important sign of a possible shift in the nature of commerce between South Africa and China.

However, secretary general of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Japhet Moyo dismissed Xi’s visit.

As the world continues to undergo profound and complex changes and as developing countries acquire growing collective strength, more eyes will be on this vibrant continent of Africa. “It’s only in the past 6 and 7 years that we have started an economic relationship”, the finance minister said. London-based BMI Research said China’s investments in Africa amounted to $32.4 billion at the end of 2014.

Over the past few years, China has been accounting for about 30% of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Zimbabwe, but its nationals are often accused of overworking and underpaying staff.

“Our infrastructure team’s long-standing view is that China will refocus infrastructure investment away from Africa toward developed markets”.

The security moves help China counter questions about its commitment to Africa’s long-term development after complaints about the fairness of deals trading resources for infrastructure and the level of local labor used by the more than 2,500 Chinese companies on the continent.

Mr Xi is in Zimbabwe until Wednesday before heading to South Africa for a forum on cooperation between Africa and China as he works to strengthen ties with this continent that is a key supplier to Beijing of oil, minerals, tobacco and cotton.

South Africa will take advantage of hosting the summit by pushing for progress in existing areas of trade and cooperation between the two nations, and seeking new areas of cooperation, Danish said.

Added to that, Asmal said there had already been some Chinese investment in beneficiation, particularly in Ethiopia. “It will usher in a new era of China-Africa win-win cooperation for common development”.

Xi’s visit is a major event in the history of Sino-African relations and a new milestone for China-Zimbabwe relations.

The majestic structure, which was built by China in 1966, has been the landmark of the city ever since and only one of epitomes of China’s continuous assistance for Africa.