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revealed in Beijing yesterday.
China’s deputy director African Department in the Foreign Affairs Ministry Mr Xiao Nan said Zimbabwe featured prominently on his country’s foreign policy adding that there was a lot of space for co-operation especially in the fields of trade and commerce.
“We encourage Chinese businesses to invest in Zimbabwe. At the moment there is a group of Chinese entrepreneurs who are discussing prospects of investing in Zimbabwe’s mining, infrastructural development and manufacturing sectors.
“Zimbabwe exports a lot of products to China and imports less from us. However, Zimbabwe still has trade surplus with China, for instance, with its tobacco that is a favourite with the Chinese,” said Mr Xiao.
He further revealed that China had extended aid to the tune of 90 million yuan to Zimbabwe during its time of economic depression.
“China has provided aid for over 30 projects in Zimbabwe since it gained independence in 1980. It built two rural schools and agricultural demonstration centres and intends to build some primary schools as well as establish a solar project among other projects,” he said.
Mr Xiao said his country had in July this year hosted a stone sculpture exhibition for Zimbabwe in a bid to boost its cultural image and tourism earnings on the global market.
China, said Mr Xiao, had maintained frequent high exchanges with Zimbabwe that also culminated in the sending of eye cataract experts to help people with eye problems in Zimbabwe.
He said the move demonstrated the solidarity and bilateral co-operation in fields of culture, economic and human resource development and health.
Mr Xiao also revealed that his country’s relations with African countries, Zimbabwe included, had a bright future adding that this year they had planned a big event for China-Africa relations that would include a ministerial conference under the China-Africa co-operation.
He added that his government encouraged its business people to respect the investment laws of the African countries especially on indigenisation when they established their businesses there.
Mr Xiao further castigated Chinese business people who were in the habit of exporting poor quality products to African markets saying they were damaging the reputation of the country and needed to stop the practice immediately.
“Those people exporting freak products should be dealt with. We encourage our African friends to monitor the products’ quality on their ports of entry thoroughly while we will also do it from our side,” he said.
Asked why his country had not vetoed against military intervention in Libya, Mr Xiao said his country felt powerless especially after fellow African countries such as South Africa had not opposed the action.
“When China and Russia opposed the United Nations in its efforts to unfairly punish Zimbabwe we had the backing of other African countries so that is what the Libyan situation lacked.
“Zimbabwe had the support of Sadc so that gave us the momentum to voice our feelings without hesitation,” he added.
China is the world’s second fastest growing economy and has $4 trillion in its foreign reserves. It is currently involved in a lot of developmental programmes designed to improve the livelihoods of the generality of its population.
Online Reporter