by Rungano Dzikira

President Emmerson Mnangagwa met with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi at State House, this Monday and agreed to continue pushing forward ties and strategic partnerships between the two countries.

Commenting on the Zimbabwe-China relationship, President Mnangagwa commended and spoke highly of Zimbabwe-China strategic partnership and thanked the Chinese Government and people for their assistance towards the country’s economic and social development.

“Our relations are on a sound foundation, what remains is further consolidation and deepening of those relations,” said the President.

“We scaled up our relationship in September 2018, from being an all-weather friendships to Strategic Comprehensive Partnership. And we are very happy as Zimbabweans.”

A key request Zimbabwe is making to the People’s Republic of China is a currency swop which would also broaden the scope of cooperation.

Cooperation between China and Africa is handled within framework of FOCAC, with China unfurling RBI, Road and Belt Initiative. And Zimbabwe has since submitted six major projects for Chinese funding under BRI.

The two also discussed about the projects underway in Zimbabwe with the help of Chinese as China continue to bring in FDI to the country, especially in the energy sector.

They spoke on the Batoka Hydro-Electric Project to be sponsored jointly with Zambia and to be executed by Sino-Hydro in partnership with General Electric. The project, once completed, will leave Zimbabwe in a power surplus position.

The visiting Chinese Foreign Minister has been in the country for the past two days and has since paid a courtesy call to Vice President Chiwenga and Foreign Minister SB Moyo.