Online Reporter
Judith Phiri, [email protected]
CHINESE Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding has reaffirmed the all-weather partnership between Zimbabwe and China, riding on remarkable achievements for the two countries’ relations and a shared future.
Speaking at the 2026 Chinese New Year Carnival in Harare on Saturday, Amb Zhou said China has played a key role in Zimbabwe’s socioeconomic development, with a number of successes recorded last year.
“The year 2025 has been a year of remarkable achievements for China-Zimbabwe relations and for our all-weather community with a shared future. We have proudly witnessed the completion and commissioning of some landmark projects, supported by Chinese government financing or driven by China’s private sector investments,” he said.
Amb Zhou noted that China’s investment and trade relations with Zimbabwe have continued to deepen, injecting fresh momentum into the country’s socioeconomic development.
“The cultural and people-to-people exchanges have been remarkably vibrant and robust. Today, as we celebrate the Chinese New Year, we also celebrate our enduring partnership, our unwavering solidarity and our joint achievements in the past year,” he said.
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, marks the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is one of the most important holidays in Chinese culture and was placed on the Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2024.
Amb Zhou commended the local Chinese community for organising the Chinese New Year carnival, saying it demonstrated their deep commitment to the friendship between China and Zimbabwe as well as to Zimbabwe’s cultural diversity and economic prosperity.
He said the Lunar New Year was a time for family reunions, for expressing love, goodwill and for planning for the future.
“This millennium-old tradition in China has now become a global celebration, embraced by nearly two billion people across five continents. Its core values resonates deeply with the spirit of Ubuntu, a philosophy cherished by our Zimbabwean friends,” said Amb Zhou.
“Both China and Zimbabwe hold our traditions and cultural heritage dear, which form the foundation of our societies and provide enduring wisdom, inspiration and strength on our paths to prosperity. In a world facing profound challenges, we will continue to protect, preserve our cultural roots, as we embrace the diversity of the world.”
Amb Zhou said the year 2026 was designated by China and the African union as the “China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges”.
He said with the Year of the Horse just around the corner, he reaffirmed China’s commitment to advancing an all-weather partnership.
“I look forward to working closely with our Zimbabwean friends and the Chinese community here to further strengthen the fraternal bonds between our two great nations. May the indomitable spirit of the Horse — symbolising energy, vigour, diligence and perseverance — guide us forward,” said Amb Zhou.
“On this auspicious occasion, I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Horse. May Zimbabwe achieve every success on its development journey.”
