adminLloyd Gumbo Harare Bureau
AN announcement by President Mugabe on Tuesday that the government would introduce laws that attract investment should see Chinese investors flocking to Harare, outgoing Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Lin Lin has said. President Mugabe made the remarks in his State of the Nation Address in Parliament.Speaking to the media after bidding farewell to Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare yesterday, Ambassador Lin said relations between Zimbabwe and China were set to blossom.
“We noted that the President in his State of the Nation Address said Zimbabwe will implement policies that improve the business environment and promote and attract both domestic and foreign investment,” said Ambassador Lin.
“I believe that this will give more confidence to foreign investors including Chinese investors. Definitely there will be more Chinese businesspeople coming here to find new opportunities for cooperation. I do believe there is a great future for our bilateral cooperation.”
Ambassador Lin, who will be leaving the country at the end of next month after a three-year tenure, said mega-deals signed by President Mugabe and his Chinese counterpart during the State visit to Beijing last year should start bearing fruit soon.
He said in the meeting with VP Mphoko they discussed the opportunities that the mega-deals presented for Bulawayo industries. “We also talked with the VP about cooperation between China and Bulawayo because in my understanding, the Vice President comes from that part of the country and he really gives a lot of attention to the development of that part of the country,” Lin said.
“So we believe that there is still great potential for the revival and development of Bulawayo. It used to be the industrial centre of this country and the infrastructure is still there. The National Reform and Development Commission of China had the delegation here last month. They actually paid a visit to Bulawayo,” he said.
“They are trying to see if they can find Chinese enterprises who have interest in carrying out cooperation with some enterprises in Bulawayo.
“So, I assured the Vice President that we will try our best to help Zimbabwe to achieve economic recovery and development. We will put Bulawayo as one of our priority areas. Textile may be one of the priorities as well as animal husbandry. That is the message I got from the delegation (NRDC).”
Ambassador Lin said he was happy that the mega-deals were signed when he was the Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter