MOST African leaders are in Beijing, China, this week for the 2024 summit of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation (Focac) meant to cement ties between Africa and the world’s second largest economy.
The meeting runs from September 4 to 6.
Leaders from the continent arrived in China on Sunday and yesterday. President Emmerson Mnangagwa arrived last week for meetings, en route to the summit.
China is seen as Africa’s all-weather friend due to its policy of non-interference which critics say is at the expense of democracy.
African leaders who feel hard done by the West opt for China which they view as amenable.
More than 90% of the continent’s leaders are expected to attend the Focac summit.
Most of the African leaders will be in Beijing to sign deals with the world's second largest economy.
China's strategy has worked. While the West hectors Africa on governance and human rights, China has played the hear no evil, speak no evil and see no evil card which has brought it closer to the continent, winning major contracts.
- The brains behind Matavire’s immortalisation
- Red Cross work remembered
- All set for inaugural job fair
- Community trailblazers: Dr Guramatunhu: A hard-driving achiever yearning for better Zim
Keep Reading
China is viewed in Africa as a reliable partner after it built the new African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It has won billion-dollar infrastructural projects on the continent that are completed in record time despite concerns that countries are mortgaging their natural resources.
China has built the 752,7km standard gauge railway line which connects Ethiopia with the Red Sea ports in Djibouti and the Nairobi-Mombasa railway.
For Zimbabwe, China is seen as a go-to partner. China was a key supporter in the liberation struggle that brought independence.
Zimbabwe looked east at the turn of the millennium following a fallout with the West as a result of the land reform programme, which Harare argues was meant to address colonial imbalances much to the chagrin of Brussels and Washington.
Until recently, there was nothing to show for the relations amid concerns the scale appeared to be tilted in favour of China as its firms spread tentacles to Zimbabwe.
Chinese firms have become key players in agriculture, mining sectors. They control Zimbabwe’s lithium sector and are into gold, diamonds and chrome, among others.
The Chinese were involved in power station expansion at Kariba and Hwange.
They are also major contractors in the tobacco sector, meaning they take a huge chunk of the golden leaf, one of the country’s largest foreign currency earners.
In return, China has built the new Parliament building in Mt Hampden as it seeks to bolster relations.
However, in a bid to please the new knight in shining armour, Zimbabwe appears to have ignored calls to ensure the new partner adheres to the country’s labour laws.
There are several reports of Chinese firms ill-treating locals, such as beating up employees, paying low salaries or failure to provide personal protective equipment.
Tax authorities accuse Chinese firms of evading taxes. All this is happening at a time when relations are strengthening.
As Zimbabwe and China toast to the strengthening relations, it must have the guts to tell its friend to respect the country’s laws.
There is no doubt that China will remain a key player on the continent.
For Zimbabwe the onus is on our leaders to pursue win-win deals for the development of the economy leveraging our mineral resources.
