The co-chairs of the Second FOCAC Summit, Presidents Jacob Zuma of South Africa and Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China, will deliver key addresses, as well as the African Union chairperson, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping begins a five-day African visit on Tuesday that he’ll use to showcase China’s expanding role as a protector of regional security, as well as a provider of infrastructure and consumer of resources.
He was welcomed by President Robert Mugabe and senior government officials at the Harare International Airport.
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.
“China-South Africa relations have gone beyond the bilateral scope and gained growing strategic significance and global impact”, Xi 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. Part of its response is to build new nuclear plants that experts say may cost as much as $100 billion. “We agreed that more could and should be done to increase our trade and investments figures”, Zuma said.
“As for whether China will continue to provide support and aid, there will be no doubt about it”, Zhang said, without divulging details on the aid amount and its goal.
Today China is Zimbabwe’s top source of foreign investment and has helped the country with a number of infrastructure projects.
The foundation of the China-Africa friendship lies in the people, and the media are an important channel for both sides to communicate and learn from each other, Xi said in his congratulatory message.
Speaking at a Zimbabwe-China investment conference Tuesday, Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha said Zimbabwe had a diversified manufacturing base that offered huge investment opportunities for Chinese investors.
Mr Yi said the visit by President Xi gave impetus to the flourishing relationship between Zimbabwe and China.
China and Zimbabwe are major trading partners, with Zimbabwe exporting most of its minerals to Asian nation, which also is the major market for the country’s tobacco.
While Beijing has traditionally maintained a policy of non-interference, staying out of Africa’s political affairs, its decision to establish a permanent representative at the African Union’s headquarters in Ethiopia may signal stronger political interaction, the South African Institute of International Affairs said.
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Despite the slowdown in its economy, China is expected to finance industrialization projects in African countries, according to Danish.
