By Brenna Matendere
Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding has said over the past 75 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people have achieved historic feats on the path to Chinese modernization.
He said this has seen transformation of China from an impoverished and war-torn country into a thriving country.
He said this while speaking at the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe on Friday during a reception in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
“Adhering to a people-centered development philosophy, China has lifted nearly 100 million people out of poverty, set up the world’s largest educational system, social security system and medical care system,” Zhou said.
“China has remained Zimbabwe’s largest source of investment and major trading partner. Our two-way trade volume reached a record high of 3.12 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, with a year-on-year increase of 30 percent. Chinese companies continue to increase investment in Zimbabwe, generating huge foreign exchange income and tax revenue, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, and addressing infrastructure needs and energy deficits for our all-weather friend Zimbabwe,” said Zhou, stressing China will always be a trustworthy partner on Zimbabwe’s path to modernization.
The event was attended by senior Zimbabwean government officials, diplomats, and representatives of the Chinese community in Zimbabwe, who were entertained by various performances by an art troupe from north China’s Shanxi Province, and traditional Zimbabwean dances by a local dance group.
Speaking on China’s ties with Zimbabwe, Zhou said the past year witnessed fruitful results of practical cooperation between the two countries.
Zimbabwe’s Minister of Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi, on his part, said 44 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zimbabwe, bilateral cooperation between the two sides continues to soar to greater heights.
“It is important to emphasize that this long-lasting friendship is not just rooted in the past, but also in our shared values, our respect for each other and our common desire to build a shared future of joint prosperity through active cooperation and equal partnership,” said Ziyambi.
He said the elevation of ties from all-weather friends to a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation has led to the achievement of significant developmental milestones in Zimbabwe.
“Over the years, we have witnessed phenomenal investments in Zimbabwe by Chinese companies. The level of economic cooperation has increased as evidenced by the implementation and commissioning of various projects in the health, energy, agriculture, infrastructural development, steel industry, and mining, among other sectors,” Ziyambi added.
A statement on the Chinese embassy twitter handle this week said it was encouraging and inspiring that the president of the Young Miners for Economic Development (YMED) Nyasha Magadhi, had saluted the efforts being made by China in developing Zimbabwe.
“We are pleased to see that the Chinese investments have truly empowered Zimbabwean youth. We commend truth telling and objectivity towards Chinese investment.
“And we appeal all foreign investors in Zimbabwe to shoulder their social responsibilities and make greater contributions to the well-being of Zimbabwean people,” read the statement.
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