China will provide fresh funding for new infrastructure
projects that are expected to jerk the economy and create new jobs. Reports of
prospective funding come in the wake of last week’s visit by the Asian giant’s
top diplomat and Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi.
The new projects are the long-waited construction of Kunzvi
Dam, Harare-Chirundu highway, refurbishment of Sable Chemicals fertiliser
plant, rehabilitation of Harare’s water system, a power transmission
arrangement and export of citrus to China
China is expected to provide concessionary loans for Kunzvi
Dam, the Harare-Chirundu Highway and the Sable Chemicals fertiliser plant.
On the citrus exports, the Asian giant will facilitate the
access of markets and removal of impediments to trade while financial
facilities will be provided for Harare’s Morton Jaffray.
Under the power transmission deal, an arrangement has been
made to ensure adequate supply of electricity to the New Parliament Building in
Mt Hampden to guarantee smooth development of the new city.
Funding for all the projects will be provided under the
scope of Chinese signature foreign policy programme, the Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI), as well as the Forum for China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
In an interview with The Sunday Mail, China’s chief envoy
to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Guo Shaochun, said following high-level talks that
Minister Wang held with President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Acting President General
Constantino Chiwenga and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr
Sibusiso Moyo, Harare and Beijing agreed to set up teams from both countries to
immediately start working on the projects.
“For the six new projects, the two sides will further
discuss on implementation. Practical cooperation is a major part of relations.
China will always do its best to support Zimbabwe. The win-win principle is
what guides cooperation between China and Zimbabwe.
“We are going to further discuss on the new projects and
conduct more research on the sustainability and feasibility of the projects.
“Also, we need to arrange how we are going to finance the
loans. It’s a process and we have to handle it in a very responsible, but
active way. I am confident that the two will come up with firm strategies for
these new projects.”
Ambassador Guo said in addition to the new ventures, the
two countries had also knuckled down on challenges affecting existing projects
such as the Hwange Thermal Power Station Units 7 and 8 construction and
refurbishment of Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, among other
deals.
He said China made a commitment to continue funding the
projects and ensure completion according to set timeframes.
“The major projects that are being implemented are
advancing well and China promised to complete the projects on time and with high
quality. Even if we have some challenges we agreed that we should be able to
work together,” said Ambassador Guo.
He said China had a “special interest” with Zimbabwe, while
adding that the visit was “successful”.
“The two sides exchanged views on the interests we are
concerned with. The purpose is to push forward the political relations and
practical cooperation and increase people-to- people exchanges,” he said.
“I can say the visit was very successful. China and
Zimbabwe enjoy a time-honoured friendship. In 2020 we will work together to
achieve more in our cooperation and achieve more outcomes for our two countries
and our peoples.”
“We are very pleased that Zimbabwe is one of the first
stops of the visit,” said Ambassador Gou after Minister Wang also toured four
other African countries in line with China’s tradition of making Africa its
first diplomatic destination of the year.
Speaking after talks with Dr Moyo last week, Minister Wang
said Zimbabwe had become an important partner for China under the BRI.
He said this year’s 40th anniversary celebrations, for the
establishment of diplomatic relations, engenders the two countries to heighten
all forms of cooperation.
“Over the past 40 years, the two countries have always
understood each other, respected each other, supported each other and trusted
each other, becoming an example of China-Africa cooperation and South-South
cooperation,” he said during the visit.
“China is pleased to see that China and Zimbabwe relations
have been upgraded to comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and
Zimbabwe has become an important partner of co-building the “Belt and Road
Initiative”.
In his remarks at the end of the visit, Minister Wang said
China was sincere in its partnership with Africa.
“In terms of infrastructure, China has built more than 6
000 kilometres of railways and roads respectively in Africa, as well as nearly
20 ports and more than 80 large power plants,” he said.
Minister Wang said trade between China and Africa stood at
over US$200 billion in 2019, while noting that the Sino-Africa partnership has
also motivated other parts of the world to shore up their investments on the
continent. Sunday News
0 comments:
Post a Comment