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The five-decade long relationship, borne out of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle against British settler colonialism, and China’s assistance has not only grown from strength to strength, but has benefited both forces in a win-win situation.
The historical basis of this friendship has enabled both forces to mutually work together for the benefit of maintaining peace and security.
It has also created synergies that go beyond security issues.
Africa also owes its freedom from colonialism to the unconditional assistance rendered by countries like China. In the seventies, Chinese military experts trained close to 10 000 Mozambican freedom fighters, accounting for 90 percent freedom fighters they trained. From their few resources, they also trained Zimbabwean and Namibian freedom fighters.
The Sino-Zimbabwe co-operation has also proved that China is a true friend, and it has also demonstrated that its policy of non-interference is not a mere policy pronouncement, but they apply it for the benefit of both nations.
Thus Zimbabwe feels encouraged that China appreciates that it was its African friends who carried it to the United Nations, for China’s permanent seat at the UN Security Council has helped Zimbabwe, when Western powers wanted to crucify it.
The PLA has also come to the ZDF’s assistance when the illegal economic sanctions imposed by the West in the past decade have threatened to paralyse Zimbabwe’s national security.
We also commend the PLA for its resolute stance in defending China’s independence in the past 85 years. They are not ashamed to tell the world about the contributions they have made as they undertook “the sacred duty of safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
The PLA’s history and principled position on this issue should be an eye-opener to some divisive elements in our midst who have been calling for security sector reforms — a call that is not only trying to revise and erode Zimbabwe’s history, especially the liberation struggle, but is also trying to incorporate agendas of the very enemy that Zimbabwe fought and defeated.
We question why the so-called security sector reforms have become an issue during the tenure of the inclusive Government. In whose interests are they?
We also salute the Chinese government for stating out so loud and clear the Communist Party of China’s leadership over the PLA. It is an assertion that cannot be ignored, considering that China is now the world’s second largest economy.
One of their military officers, Wang Yongsheng, said on Tuesday that China would resolutely oppose any erroneous ideas about the depoliticisation of its army, adding that those ideas have “ulterior motives”.
He added, “The PLA was founded by, and is under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and the CPC’s absolute leadership over the army is the army’s fundamental system and principle . . . Our army belongs to the party, but it also belongs to the state and the people.”
We applaud the ZDF for not giving in to calls on security sector reforms, and for understanding the history and politics of this country, for they know that they are a product of that political system — the liberation struggle.
Like the PLA, they are an army that came out of Zanla and Zipra freedom fighters who fought the Rhodesian security forces.
True security sector reforms were therefore formulated and implemented soon after independence when the freedom fighters and the Rhodesian army were amalgamated. It was a virtuous and patriotic act full of innovation and inclusivity.
A fortnight before we celebrate Heroes and Defence Forces days, we hope that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces will unequivocally stamp their mark of authority as the only force capable of safeguarding Zimbabwe’s sovereignty and national security and integrity.
We also hope that that principled stand will also send a clear message to the West, that Zimbabwe is its own liberator.
We believe the ZDF is capable of maintaining its glory that has made it a force to reckon with nationally and in peacekeeping missions.
Zimbabwe’s security sector does not need reforms from elements that have been busy trying to incapacitate it.
Online Reporter