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Visit by China’s top diplomat underscores importance of Zimbabwe ties
- Western sanctions have seen Beijing become main financier of infrastructure projects
- Country viewed as a key strategic location in southern Africa for spreading Chinese influence
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A trip to Harare this month by China’s top diplomat has underscored the importance of Beijing’s relationship with Zimbabwe, its firmest economic and diplomatic ally in Africa.
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Zimbabwe has been cut off from global capital markets in the two decades since the United States and some other Western nations imposed sanctions on Harare over human rights violations and the seizure of land from white farmers, leaving Beijing as the main financier of infrastructure projects such as hydroelectric dams, airports and roads.
Observers say China sees Zimbabwe as a key strategic location in southern Africa to spread its influence, with the government in Harare having consistently supported China in international forums.
Politburo member Yang Jiechi, China’s top diplomat, said in Harare early this month that Beijing appreciates Zimbabwe’s important role in promoting China-Africa cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative and “stands ready to further strengthen all-dimensional exchanges with Zimbabwe, be it party to party, government to government, military to military or people to people”.
Yang said both countries “firmly oppose external interference and unilateral sanctions”.
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China prepares to give US$140 million parliament building to Zimbabwe
China prepares to give US$140 million parliament building to Zimbabwe
China provided arms and training to the guerillas of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army during the armed struggle that toppled the country’s white minority government in 1980. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who took over from Robert Mugabe following a coup d’etat in 2017, was among those trained by Beijing.
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