CHINESE ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding has pledged China’s support to the country’s education sector saying the two countries have maintained good relations that can be traced back to the pre-colonial era.
Zhou made the remarks this week at the China-Zimbabwe Friendship High School, during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Hatcliffe.
“The relations between China and Zimbabwe can be traced back to ancient times. Porcelain and other precious artefacts unearthed from the Great Zimbabwe evidenced that, there were friendly exchanges between the two countries hundreds of years ago,” Zhou said
“China firmly supports Zimbabwe’s educational sector. The Chinese government has so far donated to a number of schools and universities in the country including Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe-China Friendship School in Bindura, Lupane Primary School, Warren Park D Primary School and China-Zimbabwe Friendship High School,” Zhou said.
He said China had supported the country’s educational sector by providing various scholarships and training opportunities for Zimbabweans to study in China.
“Education is vital to personal growth and social development. Under President Mnangagwa’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind, the country has made huge progress in developing its educational sector,” he said.
Zhou also noted that the country is not only rich in natural resources, but also in human resources, with enormous potential to be tapped.
China has been instrumental in the construction of the country’s infrastructure which includes the National Sports Stadium, Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, Hwange Thermal Power Station Units 7 and 8, Parliament of Zimbabwe in Mt Hampden, National Pharmaceutical Warehouse and drilling of 1 000 boreholes.
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China also provided strong political and material support during the country’s 1970s struggle for independence from colonial rule.
“Even today, some veteran soldiers of Zimbabwe who received military training in China can still sing the songs of the Chinese Army. China and Zimbabwe have become all-weather friends after Zimbabwe’s independence. China has long contributed to Zimbabwe’s social-economic development,” he said.
He also noted that China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future as the Asian giant seeks to work with the continent under the Belt and Road Initiative as well as other mutual co-operation initiative, including people-to-people exchanges and cultural exchange programmes.
“Today, I am happy to bring you the Chinese martial arts, magic and instrumental performances. I hope these performances will open a small window for you to the magnificent world of Chinese art and culture,” he added.
The forthcoming Chinese lunar year is the year of the dragon and in Chinese culture, the dragon symbolises good fortune, strength and wisdom.
