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President Mugabe welcomes the Chinese Special Envoy and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Zhang Ming at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare yesterday

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
A Chinese government special envoy yesterday assured President Mugabe that his country is committed to implementing mega deals signed with Zimbabwe last year, starting with the expansion of Hwange Thermal Power Station.

Mr Zhang Ming met President Mugabe at his Munhumutapa offices together with his six-member delegation where he spoke on the deals envisaged to help turn around Zimbabwe’s economic fortunes.

Mr Zhang reiterated China’s commitment to supporting the country’s sovereignty and right to self-determination.

“The envoy assured the President that his government was committed to the implementation of the mega deals signed last year and the next project to be implemented is the expansion of the Hwange Thermal Power Station once the technical issues are addressed,” a source who attended the meeting said.

The tender for the expansion of Hwange Thermal Power Station was awarded to a Chinese firm, Sino-Hydro, and will add 600MW to the national grid. It will cost $1,5 billion.

Zimbabwe and China signed several mega deals in the energy, mining, transport, agriculture, water and sewage treatment sectors during President Mugabe’s State visit last year.

Sino-Hydro was also awarded a tender to construct Kariba South Hydropower Station at a cost of $500 million. Construction commenced last year and it will add 300MW to the national grid.

Speaking through an interpreter after the meeting, Mr Zhang said China would continue to support Zimbabwe on the international scene.

“Zimbabwe is a close friendly nation of China and our leadership have maintained close contacts,” he said.

“Last year, President Mugabe visited China and this April and May President Mugabe and President Xi Jinping met on international occasions and our two leaders have reached a consensus on further deepening our friendly relations,” he said.

“I came this time to implement the consensus between our leadership. I had a very good meeting with President Mugabe and China will always support Zimbabwe in its efforts to uphold its sovereignty and development interests.

“We will support President Mugabe and Government’s efforts to grow the economy and improve people’s well-being. At the same time China and Zimbabwe will continue to maintain close co-ordination on regional and international affairs.”

Sources said UN Security Council reforms were also discussed in the meeting, with the Chinese calling on President Mugabe in his capacity as the African Union chairperson to ensure that Africa comes up with a common position on the issue.

“The issue of reforming the UN Security Council was discussed and the Chinese urged us as Africa to harmonise our position on the issue,” the source said.

Africa came up with a common position on the UN reforms in 2005 following an AU meeting held in Swaziland.

The position, commonly referred to as the Ezulwini Consensus, calls for the election of two African countries as permanent members of the Security Council, with veto power.

The Ezulwini Consensus also says if veto power is to be removed that must apply to all members of the Security Council.

There are only five permanent members of the Security Council with veto power: the United States, Britain, China, France and Russia.

Despite Africa coming up with a position on the reform of the Security Council, South Africa and Nigeria have been accused in some quarters of trying to cut deals with the so-called G4, that is Japan, Germany, India and Brazil, so that they join forces for all six to become permanent members of the Security Council.

“What these African countries are pushing will water down the essence of the Ezulwini Consensus that says the AU should choose which two countries take up the seats if the reforms are implemented,” the source added.

“The President, however, said Africa can’t be seen to be deviating from Ezulwini and said that position won’t change.”

China also strongly opposes the inclusion of Japan on the Security Council due to its World War 2 aggression.

China, South Korea and other Asian nations have accused Japan of failure to acknowledge and apologise adequately for its atrocities in the World War 2.

Meanwhile, President Mugabe has been invited to a Roundtable Discussion to be hosted by President Xi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September, that will focus on UN reforms.