Online Reporter
Ambassador Zhou Ding
On January 28, Chinese President HE Xi Jinping replied to a letter from veterans of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle at the beginning of the new year. The letter is imbued with profound sincerity and heartfelt warmth. It not only sheds light on history but also offers inspiration for the future, reflecting China’s deep appreciation for the longstanding friendship between China and Zimbabwe, and demonstrating the strong commitment to carrying forward the cause of friendship with Africa.
In the letter, President Xi Jinping noted, “In your younger years, for the great cause of national liberation, you journeyed far away from home, and developed an enduring bond and camaraderie with China. Today, you continue to keep a special place in your heart for China’s friendship with Zimbabwe and with Africa at large. Your sentiments are truly touching.”
Like President Mnangagwa, in the 1960s and 70s, they lived and trained alongside Chinese instructors in China and Tanzania. They walked the same paths, ate the same food, slept in the same barracks, and trained under the same dangers. Through this experience, they not only mastered tactics, strategies, and the lessons of struggle, but also fortified the unshakable ideals and conviction to fight for the people and for justice. To support Zimbabwe, China also provided critical material assistance, including armaments, and robust diplomatic solidarity, which has greatly inspired the courageous struggles across Zimbabwe, southern African countries, and even throughout Africa to break free from colonial shackles and strive for national liberation and independence. This wave powerfully showcased to the world the awakening and strength of the Global South.
As the veterans affectionately wrote in their letter, “the friendship between China and Zimbabwe in not a relationship of convenience. It was forged in the crucible of shared struggles and sacrifices. It was born of people courageous enough to fight for their freedom, dignity, and the dreams of the future.”
The heartfelt letter replied by President Xi Jinping fully reflects that the revolutionary friendship between China and Zimbabwe, etched in the blood of both nations, is no faded personal memory. Instead, it stands as a vivid historical legacy of the two peoples, a shared spiritual treasure, a beacon illuminating the path forward, and a solid foundation for the steady progress of China-Zimbabwe relations.
As President Xi pointed out, “The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Africa, and the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Throughout the seven decades, China has always been a good comrade and a good partner for Africa in the pursuit of national liberation and development and revitalisation. With mutual respect and mutual support, we have gone through challenging years hand in hand and embarked together on a new journey toward modernization.”
Nowadays, we are proud to witness that China’s relations with Africa and especially with Zimbabwe, have entered the best period in history. With concrete actions and fruitful outcomes, China and Zimbabwe are jointly upholding justice, pursuing progress.
The traditional friendship between China and Zimbabwe has evolved into solid political mutual trust, much like Zimbabwe’s Balancing Rocks — steadfast through the storms of time. On April 18, 1980, the very day Zimbabwe declared independence, China established diplomatic relations with Zimbabwe. In 2008, China vetoed a drafted resolution that sought to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe at the UN Security Council, making its first use of veto power for an African country.
In 2015, President Xi paid a state visit to Zimbabwe and pointed out that China and Zimbabwe are all-weather friends.
In 2018, President Xi and President Mnangagwa agreed to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation.
Last year, President Mnangagwa visited China and the two Heads of State jointly announced the elevation of bilateral relations to an all-weather community with a shared future.
Guided by the visionary leadership of our two heads of state, China and Zimbabwe staunchly support each other on issues concerning their respective core interests, maintain close coordination on international affairs, and are jointly implementing the four major global initiatives, setting an example for solidarity between China and Africa, and for the Global South.
The traditional friendship between China and Zimbabwe has blossomed into practical cooperation, much like the flowers flourishing on the streets of Zimbabwe — vibrant and enduring. From the state-of-the-art Robert Mugabe and Victoria Falls International Airports to the transformative Hwange and Kariba Power Stations, from over 1 300 boreholes nationwide, to the iconic New Parliament Building, from the National Pharmaceutical Warehouse to the High-Performance Computing Center, cooperation between our two countries directly targets Zimbabwe’s most pressing needs, supporting its socio-economic development. Today, China remains Zimbabwe’s largest source of foreign direct investment.
In 2025, our bilateral trade has reached a historic high of US$4.39 billion. Through pioneering investments in mining, agriculture, transportation, and ICT, Chinese enterprises are generating sustainable income for millions of Zimbabweans, and catalyzing the nation’s industrialisation and modernisation.
Looking forward, President Xi’s announcement of zero-tariff treatment will further enable African countries, including Zimbabwe, to boost exports, attract investment, create jobs, and advance industrial upgrading, thereby truly turning China’s huge market into greater opportunity for Africa.
The traditional friendship between China and Zimbabwe has manifested itself into a profound people-to-people bond, much like the rainbow spanning the Victoria Falls — radiant with splendour.
For decades, Chinese medical teams, China-aid agricultural expert groups, and Confucius Institute teachers in Zimbabwe have nurtured the flourishing tree of our friendship with their unwavering dedication and professionalism. Each year, tens of thousands of our people travel across continents to visit one another, while hundreds of Zimbabwean professionals further their studies and exchanges in China, serving as good-will ambassadors who deepen mutual understanding.
The Zimbabwean stone sculpture exhibitions, the Chinese Film Festival and the Dreamstar Zimbabwe talent show have become symbols of our cultural ties. This year, to celebrate China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, China and Zimbabwe will carry out a wider variety of people-to-people and cultural exchanges. This will enrich the substance of China-Zimbabwe relations and continuously strengthen the bonds between our two peoples.
In his letter, President Xi called on the veterans of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle to bring more young Africans on board to nurture China-Zimbabwe and China-Africa friendship. I remember the veterans saying, while handing me the letter, “Many in the younger generation know too little about Zimbabwe’s struggle for independence and the deep friendship between our two nations. It is our hope that, while we still live, we can do more to preserve and safeguard this hard-won bond, ensuring that the spirit of unity and mutual respect is passed down through each and every generation.”
May the letter of President Xi and the stories of veterans inspire and guide more African youth to pass on the torch of history, to advance the profound China-Africa friendship, ensuring our ties grow even closer, broader and deeper.
This year marks the inaugural year of both China’s 15th Five-year Plan and Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2. President Xi’s letter has injected fresh and strong impetus into China-Zimbabwe and China-Africa relations at the dawn of the new year.
As President Xi has mentioned in the letter, in China, we will soon celebrate the Spring Festival that ushers in the Year of the Horse. China and Africa will jointly implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, advance with the relentless gallop of a steed to develop our all-weather community with a shared future for the new era and write new chapters in the annals of China-Africa friendship.
Ambassador Zhou Ding is China’s Chief Diplomat to Zimbabwe. He wrote this article exclusively for The Herald.
