NEW: China-Africa trade expo ends on a high, as Zim seals deals

Online Reporter

The four-day China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) that was held in Changsha, the capital of China’s Hunan Province, ended on a high note on Sunday, with Zimbabwe among participants that sealed crucial deals.

Themed “Common Development for a Shared Future”, the four-day expo opened on Thursday and was attended by representatives from 53 African countries, Chinese investors and international organisations.

Among the deals signed by Zimbabwe was an agreement on agriculture and food product market access.

This will deepen cooperation in assessment of goods and optimise market access processes for agriculture and food products exported to China.

Head of the economic and commercial section at Zimbabwe Embassy in China Mr Grasiano Maguse said the expo had unlocked potential investment for Zimbabwe in the energy sector.

The expo, which was co-sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (MOFCOM) and the People’s Government of Hunan Province, is held biennially to build a platform for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

This year, the number of exhibitors rose by 70 percent to 1 500.

A range of African products, from raw agricultural produce to value-added products, were on display.