Presidents Xi Jinping and Emmerson Mnangagwa recently announced a significant strengthening of ties between China and Zimbabwe, elevating their relationship to an “all-weather community with a shared future.” This announcement, made during a meeting in Beijing, signifies a major step forward in the already close cooperation between the two nations.
The upgraded partnership promises closer collaboration across multiple sectors, including mining, trade, investment, and infrastructure development. President Xi emphasized China’s commitment to supporting Zimbabwe’s independent development path, opposing external interference and sanctions, and safeguarding shared interests within the broader Global South. This commitment reflects a long-standing relationship, marking 45 years of diplomatic ties between Beijing and Harare.
President Mnangagwa echoed this sentiment, reiterating Zimbabwe’s support for the strengthened partnership and its unwavering commitment to the one-China principle. He emphasized a desire to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation across all fields. This collaborative spirit is further highlighted by China’s initiatives such as the Global Governance Initiative and the proposed International Organization for Mediation, along with the offer of zero-tariff access to African nations.
Experts, like Vsevolod Sviridov of the Center for African Studies at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics, point to a decade of growing ties, with China becoming a crucial partner for Zimbabwe. This isn’t just political rhetoric; substantial Chinese investment, particularly in Zimbabwe’s mining sector, underscores the depth of this relationship. For example, Chinese investment in lithium exploration and infrastructure development in Zimbabwe, a significant lithium producer, has reached approximately $2 billion in recent years.
This strengthened partnership takes place against the backdrop of China’s burgeoning trade relationship with Africa as a whole. China is Africa’s largest trading partner, with trade volume increasing dramatically from under 100 billion yuan (about $13.9 billion) in 2000 to 2.1 trillion yuan in 2024 – an impressive average annual growth of 14.2%. The deepening relationship between China and Zimbabwe serves as a significant example of this broader trend, showcasing the growing economic and political influence of China across the African continent.
