NEW: China opens door for collaborative city development

Abel Karowangoro recently in JINHUA CITY, China

Correspondent

COLLABORATION between cities and towns in Zimbabwe with authorities in China can unlock development opportunities for Zimbabwe.

This was revealed by Xu Shufang, the chief of consular affairs of the Consular Affairs Division of the Jinhua Municipal People’s Government in Zhejiang Province, China.

Jinhua City is a prefecture-level city located in the central part of Zhejiang Province, China.

It is situated about 200km southwest of Hangzhou, the provincial capital.

It is known for its huge economic significance in China’s richest province with a well-advanced economy comprising of agriculture, a thriving manufacturing industry (textiles, machinery and electronics), a service sector (logistics, finance and tourism) and a GDP of over US$80 billion.

During an interview on the sidelines of the Seminar of Young Media Professionals in Belt and Road Initiative Countries held at Zhejiang Normal University (ZJNU) last month, Xu touted the opportunity for synergies between cities in China and countries like Zimbabwe, which are part of the BRI network formed in 2013 to foster infrastructural development and connectivity.

“As China, we pledge to support the development of other cities and we encourage them to learn from our experiences,” Xu said.

“If governments work hand in hand with each other, city development becomes easier because we share the same views on development.”

She invited participating countries to share knowledge and best practices in city development, highlighting China’s willingness to support capacity-building initiatives.

China has been actively involved in developing cities in different countries, showcasing its expertise in urban development.

“We have managed to develop cities in various countries, demonstrating how China is doing it,” Xu said.

China, she said, had several areas where participating countries could learn and see how they are developing.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched in 2013, is a massive infrastructure development project aimed at connecting China with other parts of Asia, Europe and Africa through a network of roads, railways, ports and sea routes.

The initiative seeks to promote economic cooperation, trade and development among participating countries.

The tour of the province drew several participants from Africa.