Online Reporter
Kuda Bwititi, Politics, Foreign Affairs and Opinions Editor
ON Saturday, Zimbabwe will commemorate the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Anti-Sanctions Day, as Harare and the region intensify efforts to lobby for the lifting of Western-imposed sanctions.
SADC Anti-Sanctions Day is not merely a ritual of remembrance, but a pivotal moment in Zimbabwe’s protracted diplomatic campaign — supported by regional allies — to dismantle coercive measures that have long impacted the country.
The commemorative day was formally established by SADC during its 39th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government, held in Tanzania in August 2019. Member states were encouraged to organise activities to voice their opposition to the sanctions.
As Zimbabwe marks the day on October 25, it is important to reflect on the role played by China in thwarting attempts to place Harare under an even broader sanctions regime than those already imposed by the West.
China demonstrated its unwavering commitment to Zimbabwe in 2008, through an unprecedented act of diplomatic solidarity. Alongside Russia, China exercised its veto power on July 11, 2008 to block a UN Security Council resolution that would have imposed formal sanctions on Zimbabwe.
By blocking the resolution, China prevented the establishment of a powerful, UN-mandated sanctions regime that would have formally isolated Zimbabwe and subjected it to severe economic pressure. This action effectively shielded the nation at a time of great vulnerability.
The veto marked a defining moment in China-Africa relations and a landmark in South-South solidarity.
The draft resolution, championed by the United Kingdom, United States, and allied Western states, sought to impose sanctions under the controversial Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine — widely seen as a tool for regime change.
Facing concerted Western pressure, Zimbabwe found its primary defence in the diplomatic counterweight of China and Russia. The move infuriated Western powers, who had hoped to use the resolution to isolate Zimbabwe.
Significantly, it was the first time China had exercised its veto at the Security Council on behalf of an African country. This was not merely a procedural block, but a seminal moment in 21st-century geopolitics.
Since then, Zimbabwe’s relationship with China has deepened, evolving into a strategic partnership with far-reaching implications for sovereignty, economic development, and the broader contest between Western and alternative models of global engagement.
At the heart of this partnership lies a staunch defence of state sovereignty and non-interference. China’s foreign policy is built on the principle that a nation’s internal affairs are inviolable — a stance it maintains in opposition to Western doctrines like R2P.
In vetoing the resolution, China was not only protecting Zimbabwe but also reinforcing the concept of multilateralism.
For Zimbabwe, this transformed China from a partner into a patron — a guarantor of political survival at a critical juncture.
Beyond diplomatic protection, China has provided critical economic support through major infrastructure projects, helping to mitigate the impact of Western sanctions.
Extensive economic partnerships have complemented China’s geopolitical shield. Today, China is Zimbabwe’s largest investor and trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding US$3 billion in 2024, a new record.
Infrastructure projects such as the Dinson Iron and Steel Company’s industrial plant in Manhize, the Prospect Lithium project in Arcadia, the Hwange Power Plant expansion, the new Parliament building, and the upgraded Robert Mugabe International Airport are tangible deliverables that have helped offset some of the economic pain caused by sanctions.
Most recently, during a visit to China last month, Zimbabwe secured interest from the China Railway International Group, which proposed a US$600 million investment to rehabilitate the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).
The agreement, now nearing finalisation, aims to upgrade tracks, signalling systems, and rolling stock, with the long-term goal of expanding rail lines to new industrial zones.
If realised, the deal will reduce transportation costs, boost competitiveness, create jobs and position Zimbabwe as a logistical hub for Southern Africa.
During the same visit, Zimbabwe and China elevated their bilateral ties to an “All Weather Zimbabwe-China Community with a Shared Future” following talks between the two countries’ leaders.
President Xi Jinping proposed a “five-star ironclad” co-operation framework, anchored on five pillars: politics, economy and trade, security, culture and international co-ordination.
These partnerships operate on a prominent ideological level, forming a united front against Western hegemony. This aligns with China’s global discourse as a leader of the Global South, promoting a non-confrontational model of international relations based on mutual economic benefit and respect for sovereignty.
Zimbabwe’s unwavering support for the One-China principle regarding Taiwan further strengthens this ideological pact. By backing Beijing’s core national interest, Zimbabwe positions itself as a trusted ally in China’s geopolitical strategy.
This mutual reinforcement creates a bloc that actively challenges the legitimacy of Western-led sanctions regimes and the normative power they wield.
The 2008 UN veto was the genesis of a modern relationship, which has since been cemented through massive infrastructure investment, growing trade, and shared ideological alignment.
For Zimbabwe, this partnership has served as a bulwark against international isolation and a source of critical development finance.
Ultimately, the Zim-Sino “All Weather Zimbabwe-China Community with a Shared Future” is a microcosm of a broader global realignment. It illustrates how smaller nations, alienated by the conditionalities of the Western-led order, are turning to alternative patrons like China.
The role played by China and Russia in supporting Zimbabwe should never be forgotten.
These two nations sent an unambiguous message of solidarity and took a bold stance against a co-ordinated attack by global powers on a smaller sovereign state.
derick.khumalo