Online Reporter
Obey Musiwa
Herald Reporter
CHINESE Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding has reaffirmed China’s partnership with Zimbabwe in promoting youth development and agricultural modernisation, highlighting tangible progress in infrastructure development, job creation, and knowledge transfer.
He stressed the importance of youth empowerment and China’s commitment to supporting the country’s development goals, including the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 initiative, through initiatives such as the China-Zimbabwe Agricultural Cooperation Demonstration Village Project.
Speaking at the Africa Youth Congress, which ended in Harare on Monday, Ambassador Zhou said the China-Zimbabwe strategic partnership is the epitome of the broader China-Africa relations.
“China has been Zimbabwe’s largest source of foreign investment and one of its most significant trading partners,” he said
“Our bilateral trade volume reached a historic peak of US$3,8 billion in 2024 — a 23,9 percent year-on-year increase as Chinese investments continues to grow.”
Ambassador Zhou emphasised that China’s achievements align with President Mnangagwa’s vision of inclusive growth and development.
“These successes and achievements align perfectly with His Excellency President E.D. Mnangagwa’s vision of “Leaving No One and No Place Behind”, a commitment to inclusive growth that ensures development reaches every village, family and individual,” he said.
“I am fully convinced that Zimbabwe is on a promising path towards modernisation and industrialisation.
“The China-Zimbabwe partnership has delivered transformative development outcomes in the country from infrastructure and energy to healthcare and agriculture as well as youth empowerment through various initiatives.
“Over the past three years, Chinese companies have helped create more than 1,1 million job opportunities in Africa, and our educational exchange programmes have facilitated over 12,000 African students to study in China annually.”
Ambassador Zhou said the China-Zimbabwe partnership proves that true development is not transactional but transformational.
“From the airports in Harare and Victoria Falls that connect Zimbabwe to the global markets, to the boreholes that bring clean water to rural villages,” he said.
“From the Hwange and Kariba South Power Stations that energise the national grid to the Dinson Steel Plant and Titan Energy Complex that boost industrial capacity of Zimbabwe; from medical teams that heal communities to agricultural experts that empower farmers.”
