Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE is pursuing a knowledge-based industrialisation policy based on its abundant natural resources that offer various investment opportunities that Chinese businesses can take advantage of as they align with that country’s global investment strategy, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Prof Amon Murwira has said.
The minister made the remarks at the Zimbabwe-Chinese Business Forum in Huaihua, China last Friday.
Prof Murwira said Zimbabwe and China enjoyed excellent relations, which had resulted in their relationship being elevated to a five-star ironclad status that fosters accelerated industrialisation and enhanced trade.
He said the goal was to further strengthen and deepen the relationship for mutual benefit in fulfilment of the consensus reached by President Mnangagwa and his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping.
“In this regard, Zimbabwe is open for business. Under this transformative vision, we are ready to engage and foster robust socio-economic partnerships with the People’s Republic of China,” he said.
Prof Murwira added that several initiatives have been launched to enhance economic relations between the two countries.
These include the signing of Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and Memoranda of Understanding on the establishment of the investment and economic cooperation working group, unimpeded trade working group and one on exchange and cooperation in the field of economic development.
“To this end, we have implemented several ease of doing business reforms aimed at making Zimbabwe a competitive investment destination of choice,” Prof Murwira said.
“We are transforming Zimbabwe into a knowledge-driven and industrialising country, taking advantage of our heritage, which are our mineral resources, our animals, our plants, our peoples and our land.
“Our foreign policy puts emphasis on industrialisation and trade that is heritage-based.
“Zimbabwe offers significant investment opportunities in sectors that align with China’s global investment strategy, including one, mining and mineral value addition. We invite companies to partner Zimbabwe in local beneficiation, downstream industries and the establishment of robust, transparent value chains that support long-term industrialisation.”
Prof Murwira added that opportunities were also available in infrastructure development, particularly industrial parks in sectors such as transport, energy, ICT and health, agriculture, tourism and education.
The Minister urged China’s businesses to take advantage of the most favoured destination status that Zimbabwe was accorded by the Chinese government to invest in tourism.
In his remarks, Mr Li Weilin, Secretary-General of Huaihua Municipal, said they had been tasked with making twinning arrangements with Zimbabwe’s cities and those in Hunan Province.
“The Central Provincial Committee has tasked us to build a sister and brother (city relationship with Zimbabwe cities for all the 14 cities of Hunan Province,” Mr Li said, adding that Huaihua was a hub of openness.
“China and Zimbabwe are partners and good friends. In September 2024, President Xi Jinping had a meeting with Zimbabwean President Mnangagwa.
“The two Heads of the State have always decided to build an international cooperation on political, economic, trade, security, people-to-people cooperation and so many other regards.
“We will work together to build a high-level community with a shared future. The two sides decided to further deepen and upgrade our comprehensive strategic partnership. This signifies the upgrade of our future cooperation, and it also unleashed new opportunities and conditions.”
Mr Xin Gang Lian, a representative of Shinganglian Shanxi Holding Group who have partnered the Government in investing in Zimbabwe Zonglihe Energy Special Economic Zone, briefed the Forum of their investment in the country.
“We aim to build a four industry chain energy mining base. Our major projects include the coal mining up to 7 million tonnes each year, a power generation plant and the steel extraction plant.
“We aim to build us into the most advanced metallurgical industry cluster in Africa with the largest size,” he said.
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