China-Zimbabwe ties strengthen with infrastructure projects, investments

The decades-long relationship between Zimbabwe and China will continue to evolve alongside the southern African country’s economic development trajectory, a senior official has said.   

HARARE, July 10 (Xinhua) — The decades-long relationship between Zimbabwe and China will continue to evolve alongside the southern African country’s economic development trajectory, a senior official has said.

China has committed to Zimbabwe’s development as the latter seeks to attain upper-middle-income economy status by 2030, said Monica Mutsvangwa, minister of women’s affairs, community, small and medium enterprises’ development, on the sidelines of the first Harare Forum for Africa and Academic Week, which concluded in the Zimbabwean capital Monday.

“We can see from that time it has continued to grow, with a lot more initiatives, whether in agriculture. We have seen China coming on board, assisting Zimbabwe with vaccinations for COVID-19. Zimbabwe managed to contain COVID-19 because of the vaccinations we received from China,” Mutsvangwa said.

She commended Chinese investors for playing a major role in Zimbabwe’s industrialization, noting that Chinese private capital has facilitated significant projects across the country. Among these is a 1.5-billion-U.S. dollar integrated steel plant established by China’s Tsingshan Holding Group in the Midlands Province.

The Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO), a subsidiary of Tsingshan Holding Group in east China’s Zhejiang Province, has begun producing pig iron, marking a milestone in the revival of Zimbabwe’s iron and steel industry. According to the Zimbabwean government, DISCO is expected to produce 600,000 metric tons of carbon steel in the first phase, with production rising to 1.2 million, then 3.2 million, and ultimately 5 million metric tons per year in the final phase.

“Those investments are private funds, which shows the confidence they have in Zimbabwe. They see a stable country with leadership focused on empowering our people,” Mutsvangwa noted.

In 2023, bilateral trade between China and Zimbabwe reached 3.122 billion U.S. dollars, a 29.9 percent increase year-on-year. Imports amounted to 1.715 billion dollars, showing a 32 percent growth compared to the previous year.

Mutsvangwa also praised China for funding the upgrading of Zimbabwe’s energy infrastructure, particularly the expansion of Kariba South Power Station, completed in 2018, and the upgrade of units seven and eight of the Hwange Thermal Power Station, completed in 2023.

Furthermore, Mutsvangwa said cooperation with China has been promoting the livelihoods of Zimbabweans, especially those in vulnerable communities. “We have been affected by this El Nino-induced drought, and China has reaffirmed its assistance with food aid. We have seen China drilling boreholes; the importance of water cannot be over-emphasized,” she said.

Reflecting on China’s economic growth over the past decades, Mutsvangwa said Zimbabwe seeks to tap into China’s experience as the country strives to accelerate rural development.

China offers valuable lessons to Zimbabwe, particularly in the revitalization and industrialization of rural areas, ensuring that everyone participates in the local economy, she said.  ■