OUT of the many lessons Zimbabwe can draw from its friendship with China, economic development and unflinching political stance stand tall.
China’s remarkable development and rise as a global superpower have largely been drawn from its unwavering stance on people-oriented economic policies coupled with a solid political foundation that is firmly anchored in its history and culture.
Zimbabwe, too, has embarked on that gallant route, valiantly giving to its rightful owners land as well as initiating a raft of economic empowerment policies that are leaving no-one and no place behind.
All these efforts are rooted in its agonising past as reflected by recent initiatives to honour its departed and living heroes.
The country’s survival cannot be fully realised in the absence of its history, however glowing or harrowing.
While this is what both China and Zimbabwe have done to extricate themselves from the shackles of poverty, more windows of opportunity continue to unravel as the two nations take their relations forward.
Here is why:
The announcement last week by Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding that his country will continue to consolidate its long-standing relations with Harare is not only key in strengthening the country’s ongoing economic revival and development but will help in fending off attempts by Western countries to effect regime change through illegal means.
Ambassador Zhou, speaking at celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China at Heritage Village in Harare last week, also unveiled a fresh package of Chinese investments into Zimbabwe.
The Asian and global superpower’s friendship with Zimbabwe, which has stood the test of time and continues to blossom, has seen the rise of the latter as an emerging economic giant in the developing world.
“In the past year, the China-Zimbabwe relations have achieved an all-round leap, with His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s State visit to China being the highlight. The historic visit marks a new milestone in our bilateral relations,” said Ambassador Zhou.
“The two Heads of State, HE President Xi Jinping and HE President Mnangagwa, agreed to establish a ‘Five-Star Ironclad’ cooperation framework.”
During his visit to China, President Mnangagwa oversaw the signing of 17 MoUs that span across various economic sectors and will ensure that Zimbabwe’s ongoing economic revival and development efforts receive a further boost.
That is over and above the many investments that China has made in virtually every sector of the economy in Zimbabwe, with more in the pipeline.
China, said Ambassador Zhou, will partner Zimbabwe on an aggressive rural development programme to boost income through building of at least 100 solar-powered facilities and upgrading of irrigation systems.
This is in addition to the support that the Asian country has availed to combat the devastating effects of the El Nino-induced drought that ravaged Zimbabwe in the 2023-24 summer cropping season.
China has so far delivered two batches of food assistance worth 40 million RMB (US$6 million), with other two batches worth 80 million RMB (US$12 million) on their way to Zimbabwe.
“After more than 1 000 China-aided boreholes across the country have been completed, another 300 boreholes, supported by a Chinese government grant will be implemented,” said Ambassador Zhou.
“To promote rural development and poverty reduction, China intends to build 100 solar-powered facilities and to upgrade multiple irrigation systems for Zimbabwe in the next couple of years.”
But that’s not all. A Chinese medical team expects to treat over 7 000 patients of various ailments across the country this year.
In 2023, 6 200 patients received treatment under that facility which has seen the setting up of a telemedicine facility service platform as well as training of more than 150 Zimbabwean doctors and nurses.
“Next year, they aim to deliver free medical services to more than 10 000 people in all the 10 provinces. Another medical team from China will come to carry out the Brightness Action Programme, performing free cataract surgeries on 600 patients from vulnerable communities,” added Ambassador Zhou.
In agriculture, there will be massive upgrading of facilities as well as training of farmers in rural communities by the Chinese Agricultural Experts Group which has been working with communities to develop farming skills throughout the country in recent years.
While Western embassies in Harare continue to fund opposition elements to cause anarchy and effect regime change, the Embassy of China’s Hope Harbour Projects is capacitating youths, women and vulnerable groups to achieve self-sustenance.
The West’s hostility towards Zimbabwe continues, with information gathered by this publication showing that the US Embassy recently held what it said was a ‘training’ workshop for a group of journalists in Arcturus where the scribes were coached to write stories that deny both the existence and impact of Uncle Sam’s illegal economic sanctions on Zimbabwe.
The scribes were instead given ‘information’ of alleged transactions of senior Government officials, which stories they will publish as the cause of the country’s economic challenges starting this month.
This is why the country’s authorities must never waver in their stoic stance on matters to do with protecting and defending the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Americans are coming after them to douse the fight against sanctions.
We will be laying bare these machinations in detail in the coming weeks.
Let those with ears listen.