Chinese FM pledges to expand practical cooperation with Zimbabwe

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Zimbabwean Foreign Minister Frederick Shava ahead of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Dakar, Senegal, Nov. 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Chang)

DAKAR, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to fully tap the potential of mutually beneficial cooperation and continuously expand practical cooperation with Zimbabwe to help it make greater progress in development and construction, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here Sunday.

Wang made the remarks when meeting with Zimbabwean Foreign Minister Frederick Shava ahead of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) scheduled for Nov. 29-30.

China and Zimbabwe are good friends and good partners with a shared future, he said, adding that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the China-Zimbabwe relations are getting better and better, which fully reflects the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

China appreciates Zimbabwe's understanding of and support for China's safeguarding of its core interests, unwaveringly supports Zimbabwe's efforts to explore a development path suited to its national conditions, and is ready to join hands with Zimbabwe to carry forward the traditional friendship and strengthen the docking of development strategies of the two countries, Wang said.

Zimbabwe is a staunch supporter and participant of FOCAC, Wang added, saying that over the 20 years since the forum was established, the fruits of China-Africa cooperation have spread across Africa and benefited hundreds of millions of African families.

He noted that China will announce a series of new measures for practical cooperation with Africa during the meeting, and looks forward to seeing Zimbabwe play a positive role in the success of the forum.

Shava said that Zimbabwe admires China's great development achievements, congratulates the Communist Party of China on the centenary of its founding, and highly praises China's adherence to the path of peaceful development and its important role in alleviating global poverty and promoting the overall development of developing countries.

He added that Zimbabwe appreciates China's support for Zimbabwe to achieve economic transformation, and that his country pursues a Look East policy and will continue to extend mutual support with China.

Shava also said that under the framework of FOCAC, cooperation projects between Zimbabwe and China have been forging ahead smoothly, vigorously promoting Zimbabwe's economic development.

Zimbabwe firmly supports the construction of the forum and is willing to work for the success of the meeting, so as to open a new chapter in Africa-China cooperation, he noted.