VICTORIA FALLS, Jun. 25 (NewsDay Live) — China has pledged to deepen economic and trade cooperation with Zimbabwe, citing record bilateral trade volumes and new opportunities arising from Beijing’s recently introduced zero-tariff policy for African exports.
Speaking at the 2026 Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Annual Congress in Victoria Falls on Thursday, Zhou Ding said economic ties between the two countries had reached unprecedented levels, with China remaining Zimbabwe’s largest source of foreign direct investment.
Zhou said cumulative Chinese investments in Zimbabwe had reached approximately US$10 billion, spanning sectors including steel, cement, fertiliser production, mineral processing, energy generation and digital infrastructure.
He said bilateral trade surged to a record US$4.4 billion in 2025, representing a 15.2% increase from the previous year. Zimbabwe exported goods worth US$2.57 billion to China while importing products valued at US$1.83 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of US$740 million.
“China and Zimbabwe share a long-standing all-weather friendship, and our economic and trade relations have served as a cornerstone of this great partnership,” Zhou said.
The ambassador highlighted growing diversification in Zimbabwe’s exports to China, noting that agricultural products such as macadamia nuts, citrus fruits, avocados and blueberries were gaining access to the Chinese market alongside traditional exports including minerals and tobacco.
He said China’s decision to grant zero-tariff treatment to imports from 53 African countries, including Zimbabwe, effective May 1, 2026, presented a significant opportunity for local businesses to expand exports and improve competitiveness.
According to Zhou, the policy would encourage value addition, stimulate export diversification and support Zimbabwe’s transition from a raw-material exporter to a supplier of higher-value products.
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To maximise benefits from the arrangement, Zhou urged stakeholders to strengthen trade facilitation, improve market access support, increase investment in industrialisation and value addition, and accelerate negotiations on the proposed China-Zimbabwe Economic Partnership for Shared Development Agreement.
He also called for greater infrastructure development to address persistent constraints affecting industrial and agricultural production.
Zhou noted that Chinese-funded projects had contributed to the expansion of Hwange and Kariba South power stations, upgrades to Harare and Victoria Falls airports, and the modernisation of telecommunications networks. He added that Chinese investors were currently developing captive power plants with a combined generation capacity exceeding 1,000 megawatts.
The ambassador said China would continue encouraging its companies to invest in Zimbabwe while supporting efforts to improve policy consistency, financial stability and the overall business environment.
“As Zimbabwe’s strategic partner and all-weather friend, China is committed to standing firm with Zimbabwe and making continuous contributions,” Zhou said.
