Sino-Zimbabwe Pact: Mugabe Highlights Gains of Relationship
AFOLABI GAMBARI
Nigerian National Mirror
November 17, 2015
President Robert Mugabe yesterday described Chinese President Xi Jinping’s forthcoming visit this December as of great significance to Zimbabwe. Xi’s trip will mark the second time that a Chinese state leader has visited the country since the establishment of diplomatic ties with one another.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the China- Zimbabwe diplomatic relations. Mugabe is on-record as saying China was Zimbabwe’s greatest friend. “We actually await the visit with very great interest, and when he visits us we shall be discussing some of the projects and programs we would want China to assist us in undertaking,” Mugabe said. “But it’s more than the visit of the Chinese head of state that is very important to us, yes.
We’ll discuss programs of cooperation,” he added. After that, President Xi is also expected to attend the sixth ministerial meeting of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum in South Africa. Xi’s planne d visit to Harare was first revealed by former Chinese envoy to Zimbabwe Lin Lin who said at the end of his mission that his boss was invited by Mugabe.
Early this year, the two leaders met in Indonesia but little detail emerged on progress made in implementing the “mega deals” Mugabe claimed to have clinched in Beijing last year.
The meeting came after Mugabe travelled to China in August 2014, desperate for financial aid and investment to rescue a sinking economy just one year after he was reelected on a promise to create two million new jobs in a country where unemployment is said to be more than 80 percent.
State media then claimed that Mugabe concluded nine “mega deals” which would see China financing multibillion dollar infrastructural development programmes in roads, energy, railways, telecoms and agriculture.
But more than a year later the projects have yet to take off. The impending visit also comes after Mugabe recently attended the India-Africa summit which, according to reports, is New Delhi’s effort to counter China’s progress in Africa.
Both China and India are developing Asian giants seen as quietly harbouring ambitions to dominate the global economy in the long run.
‘President Xi’s visit a breakthrough in strengthening ties with Zim’
November 19, 2015
Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe Herald
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Zimbabwe next month is a major breakthrough in strengthening of economic and political ties between Harare and Beijing, Chinese Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Zhang Ming said yesterday.
President Xi will embark on a two-day State visit to Zimbabwe on December 1 and 2, becoming the second Chinese leader to visit Zimbabwe after President Jiang Zemin in 1996.
Speaking to journalists through an interpreter after meeting President Mugabe at State House yesterday, Mr Zhang said far reaching decisions would be made during the visit. It is understood that President Xi will set the tone for the implementation of multi-million dollar projects signed between Zimbabwe and China during President Mugabe’s visit to the Asian economic giant last year.
The projects cut across all key economic enablers such as energy and infrastructural development and several Chinese delegations have visited the country to work on the implementation of the mega projects. “The leaders of our two countries will take very important measures and actions to promote the development of this bilateral relationship,” said Mr Zhang.
“There will be new breakthroughs in the cooperation between Zimbabwe and China and lets all look forward to it.”
During his hour long meeting with President Mugabe, Mr Zhang said they discussed several aspects aimed at deepening the already flourishing relationship between the two countries.
He said China paid special attention to its relationship with Zimbabwe, adding that President Mugabe was a close friend of China.
“I had a meeting with His Excellency President Mugabe and I exchanged ideas with him on how to further deepen our friendship and cooperation,” he said.
“His Excellency President Mugabe is an old friend of the Chinese people and Zimbabwe is also a close friend of China.
“China pays special attention to develop the friendship and cooperation between Zimbabwe and China and our friendship will be better and better in the future.”
Mr Zhang said the two countries enjoyed sound relations in a number of areas including politics and people to people relations.
Mr Zhang on Tuesday met Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, where he stressed the need to solidify relations between Zimbabwe and China.
President Mugabe had already indicated that Zimbabwe was looking forward to President Xi’s visit with great interest.
He told reporters in Turkey recently where he was attending the G20 Summit in his capacity as the African Union chairman that they would discuss several issues relating to economic development and areas that Zimbabwe would want assistance from China.
“We actually await the visit with very great interest and when he visits us, we shall be discussing some of the projects and programmes we would want China to assist us in undertaking,” President said.
He added: “It’s more than the visit of the Chinese head of state that is very important to us. We will discuss programmes of cooperation.”
From Zimbabwe, President Mugabe and his Chinese counterpart would travel to South Africa to attend the sixth ministerial meeting of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum.
Nigerian National Mirror
November 17, 2015
President Robert Mugabe yesterday described Chinese President Xi Jinping’s forthcoming visit this December as of great significance to Zimbabwe. Xi’s trip will mark the second time that a Chinese state leader has visited the country since the establishment of diplomatic ties with one another.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the China- Zimbabwe diplomatic relations. Mugabe is on-record as saying China was Zimbabwe’s greatest friend. “We actually await the visit with very great interest, and when he visits us we shall be discussing some of the projects and programs we would want China to assist us in undertaking,” Mugabe said. “But it’s more than the visit of the Chinese head of state that is very important to us, yes.
We’ll discuss programs of cooperation,” he added. After that, President Xi is also expected to attend the sixth ministerial meeting of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum in South Africa. Xi’s planne d visit to Harare was first revealed by former Chinese envoy to Zimbabwe Lin Lin who said at the end of his mission that his boss was invited by Mugabe.
Early this year, the two leaders met in Indonesia but little detail emerged on progress made in implementing the “mega deals” Mugabe claimed to have clinched in Beijing last year.
The meeting came after Mugabe travelled to China in August 2014, desperate for financial aid and investment to rescue a sinking economy just one year after he was reelected on a promise to create two million new jobs in a country where unemployment is said to be more than 80 percent.
State media then claimed that Mugabe concluded nine “mega deals” which would see China financing multibillion dollar infrastructural development programmes in roads, energy, railways, telecoms and agriculture.
But more than a year later the projects have yet to take off. The impending visit also comes after Mugabe recently attended the India-Africa summit which, according to reports, is New Delhi’s effort to counter China’s progress in Africa.
Both China and India are developing Asian giants seen as quietly harbouring ambitions to dominate the global economy in the long run.
‘President Xi’s visit a breakthrough in strengthening ties with Zim’
November 19, 2015
Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe Herald
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Zimbabwe next month is a major breakthrough in strengthening of economic and political ties between Harare and Beijing, Chinese Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Zhang Ming said yesterday.
President Xi will embark on a two-day State visit to Zimbabwe on December 1 and 2, becoming the second Chinese leader to visit Zimbabwe after President Jiang Zemin in 1996.
Speaking to journalists through an interpreter after meeting President Mugabe at State House yesterday, Mr Zhang said far reaching decisions would be made during the visit. It is understood that President Xi will set the tone for the implementation of multi-million dollar projects signed between Zimbabwe and China during President Mugabe’s visit to the Asian economic giant last year.
The projects cut across all key economic enablers such as energy and infrastructural development and several Chinese delegations have visited the country to work on the implementation of the mega projects. “The leaders of our two countries will take very important measures and actions to promote the development of this bilateral relationship,” said Mr Zhang.
“There will be new breakthroughs in the cooperation between Zimbabwe and China and lets all look forward to it.”
During his hour long meeting with President Mugabe, Mr Zhang said they discussed several aspects aimed at deepening the already flourishing relationship between the two countries.
He said China paid special attention to its relationship with Zimbabwe, adding that President Mugabe was a close friend of China.
“I had a meeting with His Excellency President Mugabe and I exchanged ideas with him on how to further deepen our friendship and cooperation,” he said.
“His Excellency President Mugabe is an old friend of the Chinese people and Zimbabwe is also a close friend of China.
“China pays special attention to develop the friendship and cooperation between Zimbabwe and China and our friendship will be better and better in the future.”
Mr Zhang said the two countries enjoyed sound relations in a number of areas including politics and people to people relations.
Mr Zhang on Tuesday met Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, where he stressed the need to solidify relations between Zimbabwe and China.
President Mugabe had already indicated that Zimbabwe was looking forward to President Xi’s visit with great interest.
He told reporters in Turkey recently where he was attending the G20 Summit in his capacity as the African Union chairman that they would discuss several issues relating to economic development and areas that Zimbabwe would want assistance from China.
“We actually await the visit with very great interest and when he visits us, we shall be discussing some of the projects and programmes we would want China to assist us in undertaking,” President said.
He added: “It’s more than the visit of the Chinese head of state that is very important to us. We will discuss programmes of cooperation.”
From Zimbabwe, President Mugabe and his Chinese counterpart would travel to South Africa to attend the sixth ministerial meeting of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum.
No comments:
Post a Comment