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Fatima Bulla in Beijing, China
“We don’t hate others in place of loving the Chinese. It so happens that the Chinese have a special place in our own body politic.
A historic encounter beckons when President Emmerson Mnangagwa meet his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, here in the former’s first State visit outside Africa.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to China, Mr Paul Chikawa says President Mnangagwa’s preliminary itinerary includes two to three days of official talks in Beijing with President Xi, Premier of the State Council Li Keqiang and other high ranking officials.
“I am aware there will be high level political engagements between his Excellency President Mnangagwa and Chinese officials,” he said.
“If all goes well, there is going to be a business forum where Zimbabwe should be showcasing its opportunities to the Chinese business partners and vice versa.
“In addition to that, I am not too sure how things will eventually pan out because it is normally the case that when State leaders visit here they are also expected to visit one or two provinces.
“But there are consultations still in place because the visit is coinciding with a very important Chinese festival – the Tomb Sweeping Festival.
“The fact that he would have met with the various players including the State leaders brings high hopes that the visit will be successful and memorable.”
A sizeable number of Zimbabweans here will be hoping for an interface with their President, and the visit also hold significance on the political, economic and social aspects.
President Mnangagwa’s visit comes after the Communist Party of China’s 13th National People’s Congress and 19th People’s Consultative Conference which amplified President Xi’s “Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era”.
President Xi’s philosophy encompasses 17 areas of focus for China in its effort to build a prosperous society and quest as a global powerhouse through Socialism with Chinese characteristics, something Zimbabwe can borrow ideas.
The Asian giant is also pursuing peaceful development and cooperation with Africa under an initiative dubbed “A New Era of China-Africa Co-operation and Common Development”.
China has laid out 10 plans of co-operation with Africa which include an industrialisation programme to promote partnerships in industry with more investment in Africa by Chinese enterprises; agricultural modernisation with China sharing its experience in agricultural development.
The second largest economy is also pushing an infrastructure programme targeting Africa and step up mutual beneficial cooperation in infrastructure planning, designing, construction, operation and maintenance.
Further, President Mnangagwa comes as China pushes its ambitious multi-billion dollar Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative (Belt and Road) to build massive infrastructure connecting China across the globe.
To add icing to the cake, the visit by Zimbabwe President is ahead of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation slated for later this year.
Ambassador Chikawa says due to a relationship with China that dates back to the pre-independence era, Zimbabwe is positioned for a rebranded partnership in areas of development.
“China was among the major, if not the most significant, supporter of our quest for liberation and the liberation struggle itself was quiet arduous and costly in terms of human life and emotions,” he said.
“I bring up this point to try and demonstrate that the relationship between our two nations is understood from an epochal point of view, in epochs.
“We had the pre-independence and the quest for liberation and they supported us. We then had the Independence period where as I know our former president Robert Mugabe chose China as his first port of call when he visited out of Africa. And we see that repeating.
“I also want to talk about a very difficult period which was when we decided to recover some of our very important natural resources, land in particular. We went through a lot of pressure and it was China and Russia that stood in our corner.
“Now fast forward to today China speaks about, among other things, the Belt and Road initiative, the Focac and Zimbabwe is already positioned in this relationship as can be seen in the history.
“Therefore, we are trying to consolidate our already strategic position in the China -Zimbabwe, China-Africa and China-Global relationship.
“I would like to stress is that we do this not on the basis of a zero sum game relationship, we do this on the basis of a positive sum scenario.
“We don’t hate others in place of loving the Chinese. It so happens that the Chinese have a special place in our own body politic.
“Zimbabwe is well positioned to take its part in this very strategic and visionary plan which is the Belt and Road initiative which actually has been described as the biggest initiative of the 21st century.”
Countries like Kenya have benefited from the Belt and Road initiative launched by President Xi in 2013, which involves setting up pipelines, ports, speed railways, roads among a host of infrastructure to enhance connectivity for trade initiatives.
Ambassador Chikawa says Zimbabwe has natural resources that are complementary to the vision that President Xi is driving.
“Zimbabwe occupies a strategic geo-political location in southern Africa,” said the ambassador. We are at the heart of the 15-member SADC and this region is very rich in human and natural resources.
“Therefore, the Belt and Road initiative will thrive with Zimbabwe’s active involvement and participation and that is happening.
“So the visit by President Mnangagwa itself is expected in my view to lay a vision, a platform, interface at the highest levels and then it is up to us the Zimbabweans and Chinese in this particular case at various levels to convert that into acts and action. Therefore, if we were to expect that the visit itself is going to translate into a highway the day after tomorrow or a building two days later we may be setting up ourselves for failure.
“One thing I said and I would like to repeat is that as Zimbabwe we believe that the current leadership in China with President Xi at the core is shouldering quite a heavy positive burden in terms of driving the sort of economic development agenda not only for China and Africa but China and the rest of the world.
“And so as Zimbabwe some of the resources and opportunities we have together with the Chinese will be able to contribute not only for the welfare of Zimbabweans or Chinese, but other nationalities including our own neighbours and further afield.”
Tinaye Agere
Online Reporter