With Chinese President Xi Jingping expected to visit today, focus is on what economic relief this is likely to bring in Zimbabwe. TAPIWA ZIVIRA 
10:58: Chinamasa, in a sideline interview, has hinted at several deals to be signed with the Chinese today. 
10:52: Chinamasa said the investments period for deals like the Chinese Kariba Power Plant expansion take long to gestate and Zimbabwe needs to close the gap in infrastructure especially the energy sector. He says what needs to be done is the immediate, and there are plans to introduce diesel power plant generation
10:44: Finance Minister Chinamasa says out of the deals already signed with the Chinese Zimbabwe hopes to cultivate economic recovery. 
10:42: War Vets minister Chris Mutsvangwa, in a sideline interview says China has come to rescue Zimbabwe from its economic woes. 
10:36: Military procedures have begun. The Chinese leader is inspecting the Guard of Honour. 10:35: Xi Jinping and the Chinese First Lady are in Zimbabwe. They have just walked out of their aircraft arm in arm and are now greeting the government and military officials gathered at the Harare International Airport. 
10:30: Far from the excitement and hype, it however remains to be seen if this will yield tangible relief for the hardpressed Zimbabweans who have suffered economic collapse for nearly two decades 10:20:A team of Chinese experts last visited Zimbabwe in August seeking an evaluation of the mega deals signed by President Robert Mugabe when he visited the Asian country on a State visit last year. The team included the Chinese Vice Minister Dong Shongshen. This state visit has been hyped, more than the other state visits that Mugabe has made to other countries as China is currently rated as one of the biggest economies in the world 10:08: A Boeing 747 is arriving, escorted by a military jet and a chopper. 
10:02: The Domestic Terminal of Harare International Airport is filled with people waiting to enter to welcome Jinping. Vapostori as usual are part of the event. 
10:00:Two months ago Xi Jinping, accompanied by his wife Madame Peng Liyuanwas visited the UK where he received a king’s welcome from British Prime Minister David Cameron and the country’s royalty.The President and Madame Peng stayed at the Buckingham Palace. With him visiting Zimbabwe, a country whose relations with the UK are sour,it appears JinPing is keeping all relations open. The last State Visit to the UK was by President Hu Jintao in 2005. 
09:28 The hype around the visit, it appears, has brought Zimbabwe to a standstill as busloads of people and schoolchildren continue to arrive at various points along Airport Road 09:28 The Prince Edward Band plays Marimba a roundabout along Airport Road 
09:27: With Jinping expected in a few hours, all roads leading to the airport are lined up with Zimbabwean and Chinese nationals singing and dancing. 
