Zim, China reaffirm strong bond

Nduduzo Tshuma in Johannesburg, South Africa

THE Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Mr Liu Jianchao, yesterday paid a courtesy visit to President Mnangagwa on the sidelines of the Liberation Movements Summit here, reaffirming the strong ties between Zimbabwe and China, both at party and Government levels.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Liu said the visit provided an opportunity to strengthen the historic bonds between the CPC and Zanu PF as well as to review progress in bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

“We discussed our relations, government-to-government and political party-to-party,” Mr Liu said. “We are determined that we will carry on with the consensus reached between President Mnangagwa and President Xi Jinping on the high-level community between China and Zimbabwe of a shared future.”

President Mnangagwa visited China in September last year, where he also attended the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (Focac), resulting in the signing of 17 Legal Instruments of Cooperation that included 14 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and three Letters of Exchange.

Further, the Chinese leadership undertook to broaden and deepen collaboration with Zimbabwe across sectors such as investment, trade, infrastructure development, mineral extraction, renewable energy and digital economy growth.

Mr Liu said the three-day Liberation Movements Summit, which ended yesterday with an indaba of Heads of State and Leaders of Liberation Movements, was timely, especially given the growing need for revolutionary parties to be re-energised in pursuit of people-centred development.

“I believe that this is the time to have this summit to empower the political parties in this region so that they can really put the policy of people first in a very effective manner, thereby promoting the social and economic development of this region,” he said.

The Chinese delegation and President Mnangagwa also discussed key developmental projects, with Mr Liu expressing satisfaction over ongoing bilateral initiatives.

“We talked about specific projects, very briefly of course and we’re happy with the progress of these major projects, be it infrastructure or high-tech technology,” he said.

He noted that the enduring cooperation between the CPC and Zanu-PF remains essential, particularly in the face of shared developmental challenges and aspirations as members of the Global South.

“We are both developing countries, we are both members of the Global South, so such collaboration and exchange of thoughts on the economic and social development of our countries, and the building of our parties, are very important,” he said.

Looking ahead, Mr Liu said the CPC was keen to deepen party-to-party engagements and encourage more Zimbabwean party members to visit China.

“We really want more members of political parties to be in China,” he said.

“Such exchanges are valuable in sharing ideas and experiences on party building and national development.”

Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa also held a separate meeting with a Palestinian delegation led by the Secretary-General of the Fatah Movement Central Committee, Cde Jibril Rajoub.

Among the delegation was Palestinian freedom fighter and longest serving political prisoner Cde Karim Younis, who spent 40 years in an Israeli prison.

Earlier during his address at the Summit, President Mnangagwa said Zanu PF is unwavering in its solidarity with the people of the Saharawi and Palestine.

“We call for peace in Gaza and the West Bank as well as the redress of the dire humanitarian crisis in that region,” said the President.

Cde Rajoub hailed Zimbabwe as a steadfast ally of the Palestinian people and expressed gratitude for the enduring solidarity between the two nations.

“We are sharing a great legacy, common goals, common suffering, and we have a history of cooperation with the Zimbabwean people,” said Cde Rajoub.

“We had the honour to meet the icon of the Zimbabwean people, the President. Our message is that we are still committed to the same shared principles, freedom, equality and fighting occupation and apartheid wherever they exist in Africa or Asia.”

He said the Palestinian people continue to count on Africa, and Zimbabwe in particular, to amplify their voice on the global stage.

“The second message is that we, the Palestinian people, count on Africa and we count on the President of Zimbabwe as one of the well-known and famous supporters of the Palestinian cause,” he said.

He said despite the imposition of sanctions by Western countries, Zimbabwe has maintained a principled stance in support of the people of Palestine.