talks with the political and business leadership in Beijing.
The first leg of the visit was in Hong Kong where the President and the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe witnessed their daughter Miss Bona Mugabe graduate with a degree in accounting at City University.
From Hong Kong the President and his delegation flew to Beijing where he met Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping who was Acting President at that time and is widely tipped to succeed Mr Hu Jintao.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces made a request to the Chinese to help with inputs, chemicals and equipment for farmers.
Further talks were held with senior officials of the China Export and Import Bank and the China Development Bank with the former asking Zimbabwe to draw up its requirements.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made said the task would be completed as a matter of urgency.
At his meeting with Mr Xi Cde Mugabe pleaded with China and Russia to provide leadership in international relations given the bullying small resource-rich nations were facing from the United States and the European Union.
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Mr Xi said China would not abandon its traditional friends and leave them at the mercy of the West.
The Zimbabwe delegation made a follow-up with Hainan Airlines on Harare’s proposal for the Chinese airline to partner the struggling Air Zimbabwe.
Hainan officials said they were still studying Zimbabwe’s proposal.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to China Frederick Shava said should Hainan find the deal feasible a partnership will be tied with Air Zimbabwe.
Vice President John Nkomo, Cabinet Ministers, senior Government officials and service chiefs welcomed the President at Harare International Airport.
The First Lady, Minister Made, Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and senior Government officials accompanied the President.