admin
Lovemore Chikova in WUHAN, China
Zimbabwe is wooing more Chinese investors on the back of the recent clarification of the indigenisation and empowerment policy by President Mugabe and the measures being put in place for ease of doing business.
Speaking at the Global Production Capacity and Business Cooperation Forum here yesterday, Zimbabwe’s ambassador to China Mr Paul Chikawa said the country was ready for more Chinese investment.
“Accordingly, our Government is putting in place an array of measures to promote the ease of doing business in the country, among others these include clarification of the indigenisation and economic empowerment policy,” he said.
“On the 11th of April this year, His Excellency President Mugabe made a statement that clarified this important policy, which aims to promote inclusive and sustainable development.
“It is in this regard that we invite and welcome Chinese companies to come to Zimbabwe to operate under the banner of the production capacity cooperation.”
President Mugabe moved in to clarify the confusion over the interpretation of the indigenisation law, which he said undermined market confidence and increased the cost of doing business, while weakening the country’s competitiveness in the wake of a public spat between Cabinet ministers.
Ambassador Chikawa said Zimbabwe offered vast opportunities for Chinese firms in various sectors.
“Zimbabwe and China share a lot of complementaries,” he said. “China has resources in terms of capital, expertise as well as technology. We have a lot of natural resource endowments.
“We have several opportunities spanning several sectors — infrastructure, energy, water, transportation, housing, construction, agriculture and agro-industry, tourism as well as, indeed, trade itself.”
Ambassador Chikawa said the forum in Wuhan would provide an excellent opportunity to practically implement agreements that were signed with China’s National Development and Reform Commission last year.
“We do believe that there is enough scope for China and Africa to work together in the area of production capacity cooperation, and we in Zimbabwe stand ready to welcome competent Chinese players that are looking at opportunities. We also wish to listen to the concerns and interests of our Chinese partners so that together we build a win-win relationship,” he said.
Ambassador Chikawa said there were many opportunities for China and Africa and, China and Zimbabwe to work together on a win-win basis.
He said Zimbabwe had already signed an agreement with China on production and capacity cooperation, which is part of nine others signed when President Xi Jinping visited the country last year. Speaking during the same session on Africa at the forum, Director General of Department of African Affairs of China’s Foreign Ministry Mr Lin Songtian said Africa was facing a rare opportunity for development.
“Objectively, Africa enjoys the advantages of abundant natural resources and population dividend which are in urgent need to be developed and utilised.
“We will focus on implementing the outcomes of the Johannesburg (Forum for China-Africa Cooperation) Summit, giving priority to promoting industrial alignment and capacity cooperation between China and Africa,” he said.
Mr Lin said peace and security in Africa were the pre-condition of cooperation and development.
Online Reporter