Zim sanctions must go: Chinese minister

Western sanctions on Zimbabwe and pledged Beijing’s continued support for Harare. 
Minister Yang, who arrived in the country on Thursday and described Zimbabwe as a key partner in Southern Africa, said this after meeting President Mugabe at State House yesterday.
“Lifting of sanctions on Zimbabwe is a must, we can hear their (Zimbabweans’) voi-ces and they want the removal of those sanctions.
“That is also the view of all the parties in the inclusive Government. China will call for the removal of those sanctions,” he said.
In 2008, Beijing and other allies of Harare blocked a US and British-led attempt to impose United Nations Security Council sanctions on Zimbabwe.
Minister Yang said Africans should benefit from their resources.
“China believes that Africa is for Africans and that Africans have the right to develop the continent because they are the owners of Africa.”
He said China would assist Africa to develop and engage the continent as an equal partner.
“We believe that all nations should respect each other’s sovereignty and national integrity.
“China will assist African brothers and sisters to develop. In order to achieve development, it is important to achieve infrastructure integration.
“Africa is a great continent and I am here as a student to learn from Africa.
“China is a developing country and will work with Africa to develop it,” he said.
Earlier, he said he had benefited a lot from his interaction with President Mugabe.
“The President said he would want to push further forward the relations between Zim-babwe and China.
“During your liberation struggle, China stood with the people of Zimbabwe. Now the relationship has entered a new phase that is why we must pay attention to improve the relations,” he said.
The Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister discussed several issues with President Muga-be and expressed his country’s interest in increasing investment in agriculture, especially in tobacco and cotton production.
Minister Yang thanked President Mugabe for the central role he has played in getting other countries to recognise the “One China Policy”, particularly with regards to South Africa and Malawi.
President Mugabe called for increased air links between the two countries and urged China to establish a bank in Zimbabwe to cater for the increasing business linkages.
In his welcome remarks, the President narrated how the West imposed illegal sanctions on Zimbabwe in direct response to the revolutionary fast-track land reform programme.
“The Western countries imposed sanctions on us because we took our land.
“We had discussed in October 1979 (at the Lancaster House constitution meeting) and they (British government) had agreed that they would compensate the (white) farmers.
“Things went well for some time until (former British Prime Minister Margaret) Thatcher left,” he said.
President Mugabe said the Labour government subsequently reneged on the compensation commitment.
He said ex-PM Tony Blair then looked for an excuse to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe and latched on the unsubstantiated claims of human rights abuses and degeneration of the rule of law.
He thanked China for its support during and after the liberation struggle.
President Mugabe said the first country he visited after independence was China.
“When independence came, it was not our independence alone; it was us with China and I said the first country I would visit after independence was China.
“After independence, they assisted us to develop.”
President Mugabe highlighted some of the projects in which China provided assistance, such as construction of the National Sports Stadium, hospitals, roads and women’s empowerment.
“Of course, we interact and we continue to interact and we still need that co-operation to intensify,” he said.
The Chinese have invested in many sectors of Zimbabwe’s economy ranging from mining, agriculture, construction and defence.
“We could not have succeeded without the Chinese,” he said.
After meeting President Mugabe, Minister Yang paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at his Munhumutapa Offices.
PM Tsvangirai told the Chinese minister that he had come at a time when the country was about to review the inclusive Government.
He said the inclusive Government would continue until the constitution making process was concluded.
PM Tsvangirai hailed relations between Harare and Beijing.
Minister Yang said Zimbabweans were a hardworking people and had made progress despite Western sanctions.
“China will always want to be a friend, partner and brother of the Zimbabwean people,” he said.
Minister Yang had earlier met his Zimbabwean counterpart, Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, and pledged to enhance co-operation with Harare.
He said China would use its status as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to protect individual states’ sovereignty.
The two ministers signed a RMB50 million grant for Zimbabwe.
“The new year has a lot of promise for the two countries. We want to deepen our relations and enhance economic cooperation,” Minister Yang said.
“Big projects are currently going on that benefit the people of the two countries.”
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to China Fredrick Shava, Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary, Mr Joey Bimha, and China’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Xin Shunkang also attended the meeting.
In the afternoon, Minister Yang officially opened the Agricultural Demonstration Centre – which the Chinese government built – at Gwebi College.
The centre is the fruit of a pledge by Beijing at the 2006 Sino-Africa Summit.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made said, “The demonstration centre will ensure adoption of agro-processing skills and showcase the use of agricultural machinery and equipment manufactured in China.
“The centre will also provide essential training of Zimbabwean personnel such as extension staff, agricultural officers, students and farmers for effective support of our land and agricultural reform programme.”
Ambassador Xin said his Foreign Minister’s visit would boost bilateral ties.
“This is the demonstration of the friendship between Zimbabwe and China,” he said.
Minister Yang is on a five-nation African tour with Zimbabwe his first stop. He leaves Harare today.