Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke –Herald Correspondent
Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding has expressed his country’s unwavering support for Zimbabwean youth and agricultural modernisation.
Speaking at the International Youth Summit on Land and Economic Freedom on Saturday, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Zhou Ding, hailed the strength of the China-Zimbabwe strategic partnership and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to supporting the empowerment of young people and rural communities.
“China stands ready to walk beside you as a partner, to empower the young generation in Africa to turn its potential into prosperity,” he said.
Held under the theme “China-Zimbabwe Cooperation on Youth and Agricultural Modernisation”, the summit coincided with Africa Day commemorations, a moment Ambassador Zhou said celebrates not only the continent’s liberation history, but also the promise of its youthful population, with more than half of Africans under the age of 19.
Highlighting milestones in bilateral cooperation, Ambassador Zhou said China remains Zimbabwe’s largest source of foreign investment, with bilateral trade reaching a record US$3.8 billion in 2024, a 23.9 percent increase from the previous year.
“From the airports in Harare and Victoria Falls that connect Zimbabwe to global markets, to the boreholes that bring clean water to rural villages; from power stations that energise the grid to steel plants that boost industrial capacity, the China-Zimbabwe partnership proves that true development is not transactional, but transformational,” he said.
The ambassador emphasised the strategic importance of agriculture to Zimbabwe’s national development and praised collaborative projects such as the China-Zimbabwe Agricultural Cooperation Demonstration Village Project in Mashonaland West and Central provinces.
“In these demonstration villages, the Chinese Agricultural Expert Group has not only installed solar-powered boreholes and irrigation systems but also introduced high-yield farming techniques, improved seed varieties and provided hands-on training in crop cultivation and poultry breeding,” he said.
He noted that the initiative has improved rural livelihoods and has been recognised globally as a best practice in poverty reduction.
He added that nearly 500 Zimbabwean professionals receive skills training in China every year, with top Chinese universities partnering with local institutions such as the University of Zimbabwe and Harare Polytechnic to support the goals of Heritage-Based Education 5.0.
“Unlike the heroes of the liberation struggle, today’s youth face a new frontier the battle against food insecurity and underdevelopment. But just as your forebears triumphed, I am confident that you will succeed.”
Ambassador Zhou reaffirmed China’s commitment to multilateralism and called on young Zimbabweans to serve as ambassadors of goodwill between the two nations.
“As we celebrate the 45th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, I invite Zimbabwean youth to transform challenges into opportunities and dreams into reality. Together we will build a Zimbabwe and an Africa where every young person can contribute, thrive and lead,” he said.
Several ministers attended the event.
