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President Mugabe welcomes Communist Party of China Political Bureau member Cde Guo Jin Long at zanu-pf Headquarters yesterday. — (See story on Page 2). — (Picture by Presidential Photographer Joseph Nyadzayo)

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
President Mugabe has said Zimbabwe, with the support of China, is going to wage an economic revolution using its natural resources to transform the gains of the liberation struggle into tangible wealth for the benefit of the people.
The President, who was speaking after meeting a delegation from the Communist Party of China which is in Zimbabwe on a two-day visit, said unlike the liberation war, the economic revolution would be peaceful and its ultimate goal was to ensure the country’s economic independence.

“But we will be talking about how we can, together, once again, help each other now in our socio-economic programmes — another revolution to develop our countries so the fruits of what we fought for together can be yielded by yet another struggle, joint struggle, but this time a peace and economic struggle that we shall be waging with our natural resources so we can produce the necessary wealth for our people,” said President Mugabe.

“So, we look forward to that and we say to China long live China, long live the people of China, long live our friendship.”

President Mugabe reaffirmed the existing sound relations between China and Zimbabwe.

He described Beijing as Harare’s greatest friend both during the liberation struggle and in the post independence period when Zimbabwe’s sovereignty was once again under threat from its erstwhile colonisers.

“Our relations with China are historical relations, they are revolutionary relations,” he said. “We related to China for a long, long time during our struggle before our independence.

“We do not forget that and the Chinese people are our greatest friends in the international arena. We regard them really as part of us. So, when we get the people from China coming here they are coming to a country they helped to liberate. This is also part of their own world, part of their own country. So we are very happy.”

President Mugabe said Zimbabwe was happy to host the CPC delegation given the historical relations that exist between China and Zimbabwe.

“When we get a delegation from them (CPC) we say it is a delegation that comes from our revolutionary ally,” he said. “An ally in the struggle of our liberation so we are very happy, we are very happy indeed to play host to them and I look forward to them to play host to me next month when I visit China.”

Earlier, the CPC delegation which is being led by Cde Guo Jin Long, had met Zanu-PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo.
Cde Khaya Moyo described the support that Zanu-PF received from the CPC as overwhelming.

“These relations continue to grow from strength to strength both in terms of our two parties and in terms of our two Governments,” he said.

“We have had numerous exchanges of visits between ourselves and you. As I speak, we have a delegation visiting your great country led by our member of Politburo and Minister of Finance and Economic Development.”

Cde Guo, who was speaking through an interpreter, said they were happy to exchange notes with their Zanu-PF counterparts.

He said boosting of cooperation was at the centre of Chinese relations with Africa.

“Strengthening the solidarity and cooperation relations with African countries has been a cornerstone of China’s diplomatic strategy,” he said.

“As Mr Xi Jinping, our President puts it, China and African countries have always been a community of shared faith and we are brothers of shared faith.”

Mr Guo said China would stand by Africa and would remain a reliable friend of the continent.