Online Reporter
Zimpapers Politics Hub
China’s path to modernisation resonates with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 and Heritage-Based Education 5.0, China’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding has said.
Speaking at the Scholastica Conference in Bulawayo on Thursday, Ambassador Zhou said that China, as a strategic partner, sees its own development as a catalyst for Zimbabwe’s progress.
“As Zimbabwe’s strategic partner, China’s development fuels Zimbabwe’s progress, injecting momentum into Zimbabwe’s economy,” Ambassador Zhou said.
He highlighted the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation” between the two nations, led by President Xi Jinping and President Mnangagwa, as an “exemplary model of South-South cooperation.”
Ambassador Zhou outlined three key areas where China is actively contributing to Zimbabwe’s educational and industrial transformation.
He pointed to significant infrastructure projects that he said have laid a “critical foundation for Zimbabwe’s industrialisation and modernisation.”
He cited the Hwange and Kariba South Power Stations for bolstering energy security, and the upgraded Victoria Falls and Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airports for improving global connectivity.
Other projects mentioned included the NetOne Broadband Project and the High Performance Computing Centre, which he said are accelerating digital transformation and unlocking technological potential.
Also, the Ambassador noted that private-sector engagement is strengthening Zimbabwe’s industrial base and workforce. He highlighted flagship projects such as the “$1, 5 billion Dinson Steel Plant, $1-billion Titan New Energy Complex, and multi-billion-dollar Palm River Energy and Metallurgical Economic Zone.”
He emphasised that these projects go beyond economic output, generating “thousands of skilled jobs and facilitating critical technology transfer, laying foundations for Zimbabwe’s sustainable growth.”
Ambassador Zhou also lauded the role of Chinese tech giant Huawei as a “digital enabler” through its “Seeds for the Future” programme, ICT Academies and ICT Competition. He also mentioned a partnership between Harare Polytechnic and several Chinese enterprises and vocational colleges, which he said cultivates “industry-ready talent through hands-on training.” The true measure of progress, he said, is “not just in tons of steel or megawatts of energy, but in empowered communities, shared knowledge, and transformed lives.”
Online Reporter