Zimpapers Logo

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
CHINA will this year fund a power generation project in Hwange to the tune of $1,2 billion as part of operationalising the multi-billion dollar projects signed between Harare and Beijing last year, outgoing Chinese ambassador Mr Lin Lin has said. Mr Lin said other capital projects to be implemented under the same deals were still being negotiated and would be executed soon.

Responding to questions from journalists after bidding farewell to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his Munhumutapa Offices yesterday, Mr Lin said: “I think one of the most important projects under discussion at this stage is the Hwange 7 and 8 projects.

“That is a huge project involving about $1,2 billion, so we hope that we can conclude discussions for this project as early as possible. But a lot of other co-operations are under discussion between different Chinese companies and departments here.”

Mr Lin said Zimbabwe was also set to benefit from the Forum of China Africa Cooperation meeting to be held in December in South Africa where Chinese President Xi Jinping would attend.

“There will be new proposals of cooperation between China and Africa and definitely Zimbabwe will benefit from the new proposals of cooperation between China and Africa,” he said.

Mr Lin said one of his greatest achievements during his tenure was to facilitate President Mugabe’s State visit to China last year.

He said as a follow up to that visit, VP Mnangagwa also visited China this year to discuss ways of implementing the deals signed by President Mugabe and his Chinese counterpart.

Mr Lin said during his meeting with VP Mnangagwa they reviewed the progress made in line with the implementation of the deals.

“We have discussed the cooperation between our two countries and we have reviewed the progress we have made in the past three years and we are all very happy with the progress,” he said.

“More Chinese investment has come to this country, and more projects of cooperation are going on in this country. I can say it is one of my most important achievements as ambassador here and the two Heads of States have worked out a blueprint about projects of cooperation between our two countries.”