Online Reporter
Kuda Bwititi in Beijing
As the People’s Republic of China celebrated its 76th anniversary on Wednesday, Zimbabwe’s embassy in Beijing held an event to commemorate the day.
It is estimated that there are thousands of Zimbabweans living in China, among them professionals and students.
The People’s Republic of China was founded on October 1, 1949, under Mao Zedong.
This marked the transformation of the country from feudal autocracy, which had been in existence for several thousand years, to a people’s democracy.
For Zimbabwe, the commemoration transcended ceremonial observance, becoming an opportunity for a pragmatic assessment of how to draw lessons from China.
China’s economic rise over the past decades has been a source of inspiration for developing nations like Zimbabwe.
One might assume that, after decades of an astonishing development trajectory that has seen it become the world’s second-largest economy, China would take a step back.
However, on the contrary, it is pursuing its modernisation with even greater determination than before.
In his remarks to mark China’s National Day, President Xi Jinping asserted the country’s unwavering commitment to its long-term strategic goal of comprehensive modernisation. He indicated that China’s modernisation and reform drive will not slow down but gain momentum.
“The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is a great cause that has no precedent to follow. Expectations and challenges will inspire us to press on with a sense of urgency and perseverance.
“Let us rally even more closely around the Party Central Committee, forge ahead with enterprise and resolve, and write an even more splendid chapter in realising Chinese modernisation,” said President Xi.
Higher goals
Countries such as Zimbabwe can take lessons from this, as China’s march towards modernisation continues, with the country now setting its sights on even more ambitious goals.
This next phase encompasses technological supremacy, social advancement and global leadership.
The drive represents a strategic, long-term commitment to solidifying China’s position as a dominant power in the 21st century. Zimbabwe can draw a critical lesson from China’s modernisation drive by appreciating that it is a sustained, strategic national commitment.
China’s approach is characterised by long-term planning, most vividly illustrated by its sequential Five-Year Plans, which provide a clear, phased road map for development.
Furthermore, China’s modernisation is fundamentally pragmatic and export-oriented, relentlessly focused on integrating into — and ultimately shaping — global value chains. This has resulted in massive state investment in hard infrastructure like ports, railways and digital networks, as well as a deliberate cultivation of competitive advantages in high-tech sectors like telecommunications and renewable energy.
Moving beyond exporting raw materials
For Zimbabwe, a nation rich in natural resources, the lesson is to move beyond the export of raw materials.
The strategic imperative is to develop domestic processing and beneficiation industries, thereby capturing more value within the country. This requires targeted investments in logistics and energy to lower production costs, coupled with policies that incentivise the creation of finished goods for regional and international markets, thus transforming the country from a supplier of raw materials into a hub of manufacturing and innovation.
The underlying ethos of Chinese modernisation, often encapsulated in slogans like the “Chinese Dream”, is one of national self-reliance and resilience, albeit within a globalised framework. This mindset encourages solving domestic problems with domestic capacity and innovation, reducing vulnerability to external shocks.
In his remarks, President Xi also said: “As changes in the world not seen in a century accelerate, we should vigorously champion the common values of humanity and practise true multilateralism.
“We should continue to implement the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilisation Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) and, together with all other countries, strive to build a community with a shared future for humanity.”
This positions China as the defender of a more inclusive world order and an alternative to Western-imposed values.
China advocates for a system where all nations, regardless of size or political system, have an equal voice. In a recent interview, China’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said the GDI and the GGI focus on action-oriented solutions to help Africa in its modernisation. Zimbabwe is poised to benefit from the implementation of the GDI and GGI to grow its economy and fast-track its modernisation drive. For Zimbabwe, learning from China’s stance means recognising that true, sustainable modernisation is but built on consistent strategy, pragmatic economic integration and an unwavering focus on cultivating indigenous capacity.
Leveraging partnerships
In an address to Zimbabweans in China, timed to coincide with China’s National Day celebrations on Wednesday, the country’s top envoy to Beijing, Ambassador Abigail Shoniwa, spoke about the future of bilateral relations.
She also highlighted that the recent elevation of diplomatic ties from a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to an “All-Weather Ironclad Cooperation Framework” has positioned Zimbabwe for a new chapter of deepened engagement with its most powerful ally.
She urged Zimbabweans living in China to leverage partnership models as a force multiplier for national development.
“We understand that for some of you, you might not have capital to invest back home. This should not discourage but motivate you to form partnerships,” she said.
“First, you can form partnerships among yourselves to pool resources.
“Furthermore, you can partner with larger Chinese investors and channel those joint ventures back home to modernise your country, just as China has systematically modernised itself through strategic collaboration.”
This positions the diaspora not merely as individual investors, but as essential bridges for facilitating the very Chinese investment and expertise that has powered its own transformative development.
President Xi also announced the forthcoming Fourth Plenary Session to adopt the recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). The Five-Year Plan (FYP) remains the central instrument of China’s state-led development model, and the 15th edition’s goal is to “achieve decisive progress in basically realising socialist modernisation”.
The FYPs are a masterclass in providing unparalleled predictability to both state-owned and private enterprises, directing investment into prioritised sectors.
They offer a clear window into China’s future priorities, revealing not only its domestic economic focus but also its ambitions for global leadership in the technologies and industries of the future.
The system demonstrates how a persistent, long-horizon planning framework can be a formidable tool for national transformation.
Zimbabwe’s path to modernisation can be paved with the same strategic patience and relentless drive that China has so effectively demonstrated.
