He called on leaders of African countries to use this opportunity to renew friendship and explore cooperation with China, and chart the course for China-Africa friendly and practical cooperation in various fields.
Advertisement
Government minister and former Zimbabwe ambassador to China, Christopher Mutsvangwa, says the two leaders are expected to sign several large deals.
During his stay in Africa, the Chinese president is expected to announce new measures to help Africa with industrialization, food security, public health and disease prevention, says Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
The Asian giant past year imported from the country $840 million mainly in tobacco and cotton, while Beijing exported to Zimbabwe $400 billion in merchandise.
Xi will co-chair the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) with President Zuma. In Zimbabwe, Chinese investors are active in chrome mining, construction, retailing and distribution, cement manufacturing and communications among other areas. He added that China can also provide the continent with the technical support it needs to diversify and stabilize many African economies.
He said Zimbabwe has had a long political and diplomatic relationship with China, with the last six years seeing growing interest in economic matters.
“Finance is challenging for companies, including Chinese companies in Zimbabwe”.
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.
In 2018, the country expects to have an additional 300MW from the Chinese-funded expansion of its Kariba South power plant, which was built between 1956 and 1962 with an installed capacity of 750MW. “So this visit gives a guide to Chinese investors that Zimbabwe is a safe and viable destination for their investment”. “Each one of them will add 600MW when undertaken and all of them are near financial closure”. China has a significant role to play in sectors such as power supply and transportation, he said.
Meanwhile, he reiterated Beijing’s readiness to strengthen coordination and collaboration with Harare on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other major issues as well as in global institutions, so as to safeguard the legitimate rights of developing countries and advance the democratization of worldwide relations.
“I can confirm that the support that we are going to receives includes support in the ICT sector and that includes funding towards infrastructure development, fibre optics as well as supporting some of our state-owned enterprises that are in the sphere”, he said.
“As you know the Chinese are already in full support of institutions like NetOne where a facility of $218 million was signed during the official State visit of His Excellency, President Mugabe to China in August previous year”.
Advertisement
Zimbabweans wave flags while welcoming Chinese President Xi Jinping in Harare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015.
