Zimpapers Logo

visit that will see various economic co-operation deals being signed between the two traditional allies.
The visit is at the invitation of Vice President Joice Muju-ru and comes after China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi visited last month and described Zimbabwe as a “key partner” in Southern Africa.
Addressing a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Chi-na’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Xin Shunkang, said Vice Premier Wang’s visit was a demonstration of the importance Biejing attached to Sino-Zim relations.
Vice Premier Wang is a former mayor of Beijing and is responsible for China’s finance and monetary policy issues.
“Chinese Vice Premier, His Excellency Wang Qishan, will pay an official visit to Zimbabwe from March 20 to March 22 at the invitation of Honourable Joice Mujuru, the Vice President of Zimbabwe.
“During the visit, Vice Premier Wang will hold talks with the Honourable VP Mujuru and will pay a courtesy call on His Excellency President Mugabe and Honourable Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
“At the meetings, the leaders of the two countries will discuss bilateral relations, the Forum of China-Africa Co-operation and other issues of mutual concern.
“Vice Premier Wang will witness the signing of several economic co-operation agreements and inspect the China-Zimbabwe Friendship Brightness Trip Project at Chitungwiza Central Hospital,” Ambassador Xin said.
He said the Vice Premier’s visit would “further consolidate bonds and friendship between our two peoples, show our support to Zimbabwe, exploit and expand our mutually beneficial co-operation.
“We are confident that after, His Excellency Wang’s visit, Sino-Zimbabwe relations will be uplifted to a higher level”.
Ambassador Xin said high-level visits by Chinese officials were indicative of the deep roots of friendship between the two countries.
“We have seen the mutually-beneficial co-operation bea-ring more fruits; we have seen greater support between our two sides on the international arena.
“Our friendship is so deeply rooted that it will withstand any kind of changes of international affairs and of our two countries,” he said.
Sino-Zimbabwe ties date back to centuries when the two peoples traded.
Later, China would give technical, financial and moral support to Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.
The two established diplomatic ties at Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980 and relations have grown from strength-to-strength since then.
China supported Zimbabwe in the face of an onslaught by Western countries that have imposed illegal sanctions on the country. China, Russia and other progressive nations vetoed attempts by Britain and the US to legitimise their illegal sanctions regime through the UN Security Council in 2008.
Zimbabwe has backed the “One China Policy”.
China has funded the construction of a hospital, schools and an agricultural demonstration centre among many other projects in Zimbabwe.
Ambassador Xin said Vice Premier Wang will inspect the China-Zimbabwe Friendship Brightness Trip Project at Chitungwiza Central Hospital.
This is an initiative by Chinese doctors from Beijing Tongren Hospital to perform free cataract surgery on underprivileged Zimbabweans.
Last year, they conducted operations on more than 300 patients and doctors are expected in Zimbabwe on Saturday to operate on 500people.