HARARE, Jul. 24, (NewsDay Live) – China has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties with Zimbabwe, pledging continued support for the country’s industrialisation and Vision 2030 agenda while highlighting expanding military, economic and diplomatic cooperation between the two countries.
Speaking at a reception to mark the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said the relationship had evolved into an “all-weather” partnership rooted in shared liberation history and mutual respect.
“Our partnership will grow stronger and stronger. As Zimbabwe advances its NDS2 and Vision 2030, China will remain its most reliable and steadfast partner — today, tomorrow and always,” Zhou said.
The ambassador said China remained Zimbabwe’s largest source of foreign direct investment and one of its most important trading partners, with Chinese investment helping transform key sectors of the economy.
“Growing Chinese investment and thriving bilateral trade have upgraded Zimbabwe’s infrastructure and expanded its industrial base, delivering remarkable improvements in power supply and transportation, and building the country into a regional manufacturing hub for steel, tiles, and soon cement and fertilisers,” Zhou said.
He said the People’s Liberation Army and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces had deepened cooperation through training, logistics and strategic coordination, strengthening Zimbabwe’s military capacity.
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Zhou traced the relationship between the two countries to Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle, saying China had supported the country’s fight against colonial rule through diplomatic backing, military assistance and training.
He also paid tribute to Zimbabwe’s liberation war veterans, describing them as instrumental in building the enduring friendship between the two nations.
The ambassador said President Xi Jinping had earlier this year written to a group of Zimbabwean liberation war veterans, commending their contribution to Zimbabwe’s independence and encouraging them to inspire younger generations to strengthen China-Africa relations.
Zhou said China had recently hosted a delegation led by Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs Minister Monicah Mavhunga, allowing veterans to revisit places linked to their revolutionary training and shared history with China.
On global affairs, Zhou said China and Zimbabwe continued to work together in defending multilateralism and promoting a more equitable international order.
He also welcomed Zimbabwe’s election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2027-2028 term, saying Beijing would continue working with Harare and other nations to promote peace, fairness and inclusive economic development.