On April 12th, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe H.E. Zhou Ding gave an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent chief reporter Tinashe Kairiza, sharing his views on a wide-ranging topics regarding to China-Zimbabwe relations and practical cooperation between the two countries.
TK: China is currently rolling out multi billion dollar infrastructure projects in Zimbabwe, what is China’s assessment of Zimbabwe as an investment destination?
ZD: China and Zimbabwe enjoy a long-standing friendship dating back to the period of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle in the 1960s and 1970s. The two countries established diplomatic relations on April 18th, 1980, the day of Zimbabwe's independence. Under the strategic guidance of H.E President Xi Jinping and H.E President Mnangagwa, our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation has kept being strengthened, yielding fruitful results. In recent years, China has consistently remained as Zimbabwe's largest source of foreign investment and major trading partner. The key projects built with Chinese government concessional loans, including Hwange Power Station Expansion Project Unit 7&8, Kariba South Power Station Expansion Project, Expansion of the Robert **riel Mugabe International Airport Project, Victoria Falls Airport Upgrading Project among others. They have played important roles in dealing with power shortages, improving transportation and energy infrastructures in Zimbabwe.
President Mnangagwa has implemented the mantra of “Zimbabwe is open to business”, and striving to optimize Zimbabwe’s business environment. As a result, a large amount of international capital, including those from China, has poured into Zimbabwe, making it one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. I believe that Zimbabwe still holds tremendous potential in terms of attracting foreign investments and has broad prospects in developing its economy.
http://zw.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/xwdt/202404/t20240413_11281395.htm#:~:text=In%20recent%20years%2C%20China%20has,investment%20and%20major%20trading%20partner.
