Herald Reporter
OUTGOING Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Xin Shunkang yesterday expressed optimism about Zimbabwe’s future.
Mr Xin said he will continue working for the good of Zimbabwe where he spearheaded several developmental projects. The

diplomat was addressing journalists soon after bidding farewell to President Mugabe, who is also Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces at State House in Harare yesterday.

“I am confident about the future of Zimbabwe and I want to thank you for your support.
“I will remember Zimbabwe forever and its people,” said Mr Xin, popularly known as ‘Chakanaka Chakanaka’ owing to fluency in Shona.

Mr Xin said from Harare, he will be posted to Windhoek, Namibia, but will first head for Beijing.
He was supposed to leave Harare tomorrow but his departure has been deferred to mid next month.

“During my stay in Beijing, I will continue to work for the good of Zimbabwe,” he said.
Mr Xin also chronicled various projects that he spearheaded during his tour of duty, saying he would sufficiently brief his successor to continue with them.

CHINA-ZIMBABWE

• Zim, China trade surges
• DPM calls for commercial diplomacy with China

The projects, he said, ranged from agriculture, mining and infrastructure among others.
“Last year we organised two Chinese doctors to come to Zimbabwe to have cataract surgeries and most of the patients were old people,” he said.

Some of the projects that were done during his tour of duty include the construction of a primary school in Bindura, which has since been handed over to the Government, a clinic in Mahusekwa among others.

He described his departure as saddening.

“I feel very sad. His Excellency, President Mugabe had a lot of support for me. He would welcome me for a meeting anytime, whenever I wanted a meeting with him,” he said.

The diplomat also described his meeting with the President as an honour.
The discussion between them, he said, centred on bilateral co-operation between China and Zimbabwe.

Mr Xin said he felt proud about his tour of duty as various important projects and visits were carried out, including high profile visits between Harare and Beijing.
Foreign Affairs Acting Minister, Nicholas Goche attended yesterday’s meeting.

China and Zimbabwe enjoy good bilateral relations that date back to the liberation struggle in which Beijing provided financial, material, logistical and moral support to the guerrillas culminating in the attainment of independence in 1980.