Joseph Madzimure
Zimpapers Politics Hub
ZANU PF has a longstanding relationship with the Communist Party of China (CPC), built over decades of cooperation and adapted to changing global circumstances, party spokesperson Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa has said.
He said the relationship was continuing to open opportunities for Zimbabwe, particularly in attracting Chinese investment into mineral beneficiation, value addition and industrial development.
Ambassador Mutsvangwa was commenting following the fifth plenary session of the CPC’s 20th Central Committee, held in Beijing from Monday until yesterday.
He said Chinese private capital was helping unlock investment opportunities in Zimbabwe’s mineral processing industries, including carbon steel, coal and coke, ferrochrome and lithium.
“Today, courtesy of China private capital patronage is unlocking the doors of mineral beneficiation to new global frontiers in the carbon steel, coal and coke as well as ferrochrome and lithium sector,” he said.
Cde Mutsvangwa added that international investors, including prominent billionaires, were bringing their industrial expertise into Zimbabwe to exploit opportunities presented by the country’s vast mineral resources.
He added that investments in mineral beneficiation were demonstrating the country’s potential to attract further foreign direct investment.
“This proof of concept in added value mineral processing accomplished in a land-linked Zimbabwe is serving as an example for other sources of foreign direct investment,” he said.
“A friend in need is a friend indeed. Zimbabwe has good reason to wish President Xi Jinping and his CPC leadership ever more accolades of success in their ongoing deliberations.”
Cde Mutsvangwa also highlighted China’s development model, saying the CPC’s practice of regularly reviewing its policies, programmes and systems had helped it respond to changing national needs.
The party’s leadership and cadres, he said, were expected to remain focused on their responsibilities, uphold discipline and ensure effective implementation of policies.
“The vices of sloppiness, lethargy and incompetence are frowned upon.
“The code of discipline is strictly enforced and corruption is unremittingly punished,” he said.
Cde Mutsvangwa said the CPC remained focused on addressing the needs of the Chinese people through sustained economic development and improved living standards.
He noted that China’s achievements had implications beyond its borders because of the country’s growing influence on global economic development and technological advancement.
“The outcomes emanating have as much to do with the 1,4 billion Chinese as it has with seven billion other global human souls. Well done to President Xi and CPC leadership,” he said.
He cited the eradication of absolute poverty, China’s emergence as a major global manufacturing centre and breakthroughs in advanced technologies as key lessons from the country’s development experience.
“Eradication of absolute poverty, expanding of the manufacturing domain as world’s factory as well as paradigm breakthroughs into leading-edge technologies are all worthy case study lessons,” he said.
The fifth plenary session of the CPC’s 20th Central Committee concluded with the issuance of a communique calling on party members to rally around the Central Committee with President Xi Jinping at its core.
The communique urged members to fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, strengthen party discipline and governance, and continue improving the party’s capacity to supervise, govern, develop and strengthen itself.
It also called on the party to unite and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in building a great modern socialist country and advancing national rejuvenation through Chinese modernisation
