Thanks to President Mugabe's vision and wisdom in his move to dispatch a Zanu pf delegation to the East..Thanx to the Chinese for the credit facility for the economic development of Zimbabwe.This is what we need , not humanitarian aid..The Chinese have demonstated once again that they're the true all weather friends of Zimbabwe and the've consistently shown that they care a lot about the development of Zimbabwe and its people unlike the evil west who are determined to destroy innocent people's lives thru economic sanctions for their racist sinister agendas..People like Angela Merkel even unashamedly going to the extent of demanding a reversal of land reform for Germany to remove economic sanctions...Well,China has once again demonstrated that it's our true friend from the days of the liberation struggle up to now. The true friends of Africa are in the East.The Look East Policy of our party Zanu-PF has been vindicated.There are no bullying strings attached to China's loans.The chinese say, Give a man a fish and feed him for the day, teach him how to fish and he will never go hungry ..As the illegal economic sanctions continue to do untold damage to the country's economy, the West has been using humanitarian aid as a propaganda tool whilst they encourage dependency so that they continue to bully Zimbabweans into submission whilst the East wants to teach Zimbabweans how to empower themselves so that they will be self reliant...The racist west doesn't want Zimbabwe to be a self reliant and be a self sustaining society hence their rigid determination to maintain the illegal economic sanctions and refusal to help the nation economically..These western racists like the bankrupt United States & Britain know that if Zim is allowed to develop economically, it will reject western imperalism,exploitation and being bullied...After coming back empty handed from the bankrupt west, tsvangirai and his party should start thinking who the nation's real friends are, who genuinely wants its people to have a better life..Long live China!!Long live Zimbabwe!

Mabhiza,

Yah you just have said it all. That is true, the Chinese have always been there for us, from right in the struggle to this day. There are no strings attached. We expect even more from the East than from Uncle Toms and I heard how Obama was so angry at this development. It would appear that some Europeans were actually against this conspiracy by Merkel, Brown and Obama, not to give Zim the needed funds cos it was going to draw the attention of the East and certainly, this is the beginning of a new direction in our relations. In any case the real power is shifting to the East anyway with America brooding disaster in its backyard.

You see Mabhiza, I have told the media and those that listen, never to personalize the Zimbabwean issue. It has backfired all the time. Gordon Brown is sweating his heart out for the incoming misfortunes shortly. I can tell you they will miss the opportunities we are going to avail to the Chinese and the Indians. There will be no going back. By the way, this trip by Cde Mnanganwa et al is not in way countering the Prime Minister's trip to the West, as portrayed in some quarters. It is not for ZANU PF but for the GNU and if it means we will make trips to Mars or Jupiter to look for funds to develop our economy, rather than going to Barak and Gordon, let us just do it. You do not need rocket science to understand their dirty tactics and agenda on Zimbabwe. Our country is a dot somewhere in Africa that peolpe thousands and thousands away craft ZIDERA just to make life impossible for our nation. WE rteally thank the goodwill of the Chinese. The Almighty is good(all the time)

all this means is that Mugabe will now own a series of mansions throughout asia, and the people of Zimbabwe will end up owing China $1 Billion plus interest to pay for it. Can Zimbabwe really afford that?

If Zimbabwe has been hurting so much because of ZIDERA, (as you say!) then why has it taken Zim this long to approach China?!

The reason: because 'sanctions' are not what has caused the Zimbabwe to turn into a pathetic piece of crap - with an unelected leader, cholera, no schools, no hospitals, no currency.... pathetic!

Cdes Mabhiza and Moyondizvo;

What more can I say, you have said it all. It was true yesterday, it is true today and will be true tomorrow that the East is and will always be where the sun rises from. China has proved beyond any reasonable doubt that they are the All-Weather-Friends of Zimbabwe. From the time of the liberation to the present day, the Chinese have always been there for us when we needed them most.

The silly idea being peddled by some stupid moles on this site that the money was negotiated by Biti is just what it is – silly, foolish and stupid. Just like the USD400 million from the AfDB negotiated by Dr Gono, this money was negotiated well before the birth of the GPA, thus cannot have been negotiated by Biti.

After all, how long does it take to negotiate a huge amount like the one availed by the Chinese? One day, two days, three days - NEVER - it takes time and this is the result and example of funds painstakingly negotiated by the Zanu-pf government well before the GPA.

And you know that for certain do you? Or more likely you would like us all to believe your childish daydreaming is the truth.

Katunda ( Taky) Will you stop praising yourself under different psuedonems please. You are making yourself look like a bigger idiot than you already are and that takes some beating.

Actually, if you bother to read the announcement, you will find that the lines of credit were secured by Tendai Biti, the very person Mugabe wants to try for treason.

Also the line of credit from the PRC equates to the amount stumped up by SADC, which is not that encouraging considering the relative size of the Chinese economy. Further more the line of credit does not constitute the type of direct budgetary support that Zimbabwe desperately needs. Like SADC,China appears wary of simply handing over money to Mugabe.

Beware, credit extention is just a commercia loan. It enables Chinese businesses to sell goods and services at inflated prices to Zimbos while I will not get surprised if a commission is thereafter paid to ZANU-PF.

The crux of the matter is whether Zimbabwe will be free to utilise the funds to source out goods from anywhere in the world.

I doubt it.

It looks like things might actually be starting to look up for Western civilization. The West may be circling the drain, but The East just decided to flush themselves down the toilet even faster.

This will lead to China's downfall at least, and possibly Zimbabwe's as well. We'll all be in the sewers of the new Dark Age together, but at least the West is the most likely to hold on to the highest ground in that sewer.

This is good news and also bad news for democracy and reform of the gov't still controlled by Mugabe. Yes, of cause the money will help Zimbabwe and many people. But, alas! is Mugabe's behaviour going to change in holding a real election and respecting the GNU! China, and I have been a strong supporter for chinese aid, may have strengthened Mugabe's resolve to destroy the MDC at all costs. China, wants to make sure Zimbabwe is still in it's strategy game, even with Tsvangirai and the MDC. But, will china insist, as most Western countries have done, that Mugabe respect human rights and institute changes in Zimbabwe? That is the reason why this may actual be bad news for reform! China must follow what the western countries have asked the GNU, that GNU work toward a path of democracy and respect for human rights! Also required are reforms of the financial and economic institutions of Zimbabwe. Is this line of credit going to make Mugabe be more powerful and boastful because the Chinese are actually his best friends! Is Mugabe going to turn back reforms because he can get money from China?

Just wondering if this money works, would you give credit to Mr Tsvangirai , or Mr Mugabe?

Yes Phiri........

Mugabe will trumpet this as recognition that the "West" hates him and is determined to destroy him - and as a result - Zimbabwe. Yet he has "friends" in the East that will help "without strings attached", or so our ZANU-PF loving friends here will claim..

I'd be VERY careful about money or "credit" from the PRC. They don't give away money for nothing, I'd be concerned about what sort of economic concessions ZANU-PF had to give the CCP in order to get this "credit". Are we to expect the Chinese will eventually run the diamond concession in Zimbabwe? Will the Chinese buy or distribute diamonds outside of the Kimberly Process? I mean, China represents over 1 Billion consumers - surely they don't care whether a diamond has a Kimberly Certificate....... China is going to end up buying Zimbabwe's diamonds, but are we sure Zimbabwe got the best deal they could?

I expect we'll see an article in the Herald tomorrow shouting it's praises to Comrade Bob as the "deliverer" who obtained money from China when the "West" has rebuffed Morgan's attempts to obtain development aid for Zimbabwe.

I would also expect ZANU-PF to dig in their heels even deeper in their opposition to fully implementing the GPU now that they have "obtained" more money than the PM did. How this "credit" is disbursed is up for interpretation. How much of it actually goes to redevelop Zimbabwe and how much goes into Comrade Bob's pockets (or Malaysian bank accounts) is also up for debate.

But yes, this is a setback for MDC-T, ZANU-PF has out-begged them, so from a PR standpoint, it makes a difference.

"Total Empowerment!"

Juhlman;

Nobody in this world has ever given money for nothing, there is, always, something they get in return for advancing money to someone. The difference between the Chinese and the imperialist Anglo-Saxons has always been the fact that the Chinese do not attach strings to the money they give to All-Weather-Friends unlike imperialists who want you to depend and lean on them for ever.

From the time of our liberation the Chinese have NEVER demanded anything in return for the help they gave us but us as good and well meaning friends recognize a good thing when we see one and reward it accordingly.

As my fellow comrades here rightly put it, while the weird-wild-west would want us to depend on them to our death for giving us filthy lucre, Chinese will teach us how to generate more money for ourselves and feed our families.

This is a fundamental difference that exist between the two economic powers and which should be understood even by former and current colonizers alike. For us that is the best deal possible in this uneven global economic playing field.

Whites, especially from Western Europe and America and to a lesser extend those from Eastern Europe, always want to exploit and enslave us. They take advantage of the gullible and unclever negotiators like Tsvangirai to try and re-colonize us once again. They exploit his weaknesses, thus, using him to fight him.

Tsvangirai says that whites are not trying to impose anything from outside but are concerned about what we ourselves have agreed but have not implemented. That's bullshit!! How and why should it be their concern and pre-occupation that there are unimplemented issues in the GPA?

The Euro currency was negotiated over a very long period of time and now most if not all of Europe have adopted the currency except Britain, WHY? Is it not that that is a domestic issue and should best be left to them to tackle instead of outsiders telling them the importance of following other countries in their region?

If they (Europeans) were not the drivers of and not responsible for the inclusion of these issues in the GPA, why are they now more concerned than the people involved (Kuchema kudarika munhu afirwa) and are making the implementation of same conditional to providing aid. It means that these are and have always been their issues and are now just pushing for the implementation of their issues.

No wonder Biti called for the assassination of Dr Gono well before the GPA. As far as Zimbabwe and its people are concerned, Dr Gono and A-G Tomana are not the outstanding issues - those are closed chapters.

The outstanding issues are the removal of illegal, racist and barbaric sanctions imposed on the people of Zimbabwe, the provision of assistance to our farmers to produce food for the people of Zimbabwe, the opening of hospitals, schools, the adequate payment of all workers and the rebuilding of infrastructure destroyed by sanctions imposed by the barbaric west at the instigation of Biti, Tsvangirai and the MDC.

Thanx Cde Takunya, wabaya dede nemumukanwa!! China has always been there for Zimbabwean interests.The military assistance they gave to liberation struggle fighters at a time when they were called terrorists by these Western racist nations..The Chinese spearheaded the farm mechanisation programme ,the agriculture input and loan facilities to boost our farmers at a time when the United States, Britain and their allies are working flatout to subbotage the programme. The Chinese veto that prevented Zimbabwean people from full fledged UN backed economic sanctions.The Chinese helped us pay the IMF loan that was being used by the United States to ostracise Zimbabwe from the financial institutions.All these sanctions busting initiatives spearheaded by the Chinese have been the major reason why Zimbabwe is still standing after a decade of western subbotage.Many people will recall the demonisation of the Chinese Gvt &Chinese Arms supply ship by the MDC-T and its Western backers last year..Now Tsvangirai and his leutanants are at pains to seem to be looking East all of a sudden after being spurned by their racist western allies..China has demonstrated that her friendship with Zimbabwe is unshakable..Long live China!!

Cde Mabhiza;

Long live the Great Nation and people of China! LONG LIVE!!!!

Long live the unshakable friendship between the people of China and Zimbabwe that dates back to the time of the liberation struggle! LONG LIVE!!!!

Long live our military, political, cultural and economic cooperation that has cemented our relationship thus far! LONG LIVE!!!!

Long live the continued brotherly love that exists between our two peoples!! LONG LIVE!!!!

Takunya, Mabhiza.... you are an idiot! Everyone knows you are one and the same person! About time you stopped masterbating yourself dont you think! You'll go blind!

Outstanding issues that a MAJORITY of Zimbabweans (as well every foreign government that has been approached to give direct budgetary assistance) are concerned about include:

a. the fact that the parties to the GPA agreed that there would be a cabinet of 31, held 16 by the MDCs and 15 by zanu-pf. When it came to swearing in the cabinet, Mugabe unilateraly swore in an extra 10, all for his party.

b. Under the terms of the GPA no senior government posts can be filled by Mugabe until he has consulted and got the agreement of Tsvangirai. Hence the Gono and Tomana appointments are not legal.

c. The MDC provincial governors, ambassadors and Roy Bennett have yet to be sworn in despite Mugabe's written undertakings to do so.

d. The JOC was supposed to be disbanded and replaced with a new National Security Council, including Tsvangirai. The JOC is still there and there is yet to be a meeting of the NSC.

e. There is supposed to be unfettered freedom of expression. There are as yet no new media licences and political activists are continually being abducted by security goons working for zanu-pf.

f. etc etc

Every time Tsvangirai and Biti go out and collect aid for Zimbabwe they are doing one more thing that Mugabe has shown himself to be quite clearly incapable of doing.

Ordinary Zimbabweans will vote for the party that can make a practical difference to their lives; not for the party that is one long litany of failed promises.

Also, they will note that whilst Tsvangirai and Biti are holding one on one meetings with the likes of President Obama and people who can make a difference, where is Mugabe welcome - Libya and yet another conference.Has Mugabe met with the heads of Russia and China yet? No!

MDC won the last election; they will absolutely decimate zanu-pf in the next one.

Tacky, Mr "The CIA invented homosexuality"

Which is it? "Nobody in this world has ever given money for nothing"

Or, "the Chinese do not attach strings to the money"

Big contradiction there.

"As far as Zimbabwe and its people are concerned, Dr Gono and A-G Tomana are not the outstanding issues - those are closed chapters."

Lies. Since when do you speak for the people of Zimbabwe!

As for sanctions. There are no sanctions on the people of Zimbabwe. Period. And you still peddle your lies claiming that Tsvangirai called for these fictitious sanctions. Nonsense!

Still think the CIA invented homosexuality?

IDIOT!

Tak:

You were saying something about how what "true" friends the Chinese were to Zimbabwe and how they never attach any "strings" to their aid as opposed to the wicked "West"?

Would you care to elaborate on that now that the deal negotiated with the Chinese for a platinum concession in ZImbabwe appears to give China an estimated profit of $15-$20 BILLION U.S.?

Beware of such "steadfast" friends Tak, Zimbabwe will end up even poorer for it.

"Total Empowerment!" or maybe I should just say, "Look East" to where the riches of Zimbabwe are now destined to go.

Phiri, i am really surprised with your thinking. Businesses in Zim are crying for credit facilities to rejuvinate their operations, and i am sure business will benefit more from this facility if they are able to access it, but from your comment, you want everybody punished all because you want Mugabe to go, this is the kind of warped mentality that has destroyed the country, look at the bigger picture. There are so many apolitical business who do not give a damn abt politics and do not care who is the president, yet all you can come up with are political comments. Give Zim a chance to prosper.

The ignorance of TD is alarming indeed!

ZANU-PF, its thugs and criminal Mugabe will benefit most from the Chinese loan.

Zimbos businesses will suffer most from the extended facilities since they will be charged inflated prices. It's a tied loan and goods only from chinsese companies can be bought.

Ultimately, the commoners will be fleeced to their skin.

Mugabe must go before a clean start can be promoted. Phiri has come a long way to see the naked reality. It's not money, but the will of the people that can inspire people to rise up to the challenges. Upto now, criminal Mugabe is doing everything to keep Zimbos uner his foot while amassing illgotten wealth and using the CIO to discredit MDC.

And you want everyone to be punished because you want Mugabe to stay....

Do you not realise how little trust Mugabe has outside of Zimbabwe? Even the chinese wont put funds through the government.

Do you not realise how much more money and credit will become available when Mugabe is gone, and someone the outside world trusts sits in power?

Like i said i do not give a damn whether it is Bob or MT ari kutonga, i will leave that side of Mugabe must go mantra that Prem and Awt have repeated over and over again on this debate, for the sake of progress, come up with something new not this parroting of "Criminal Mugabe" and bootlicking of MT. Let the credit facilities be available and business will decide whether they like to access them or not. I do not buy this nonsense that Zim must stop everything because Prem and awt want Mugabe to go. Good luck in your emotional endevours and let those who want to rebuild Zim do so.

awt, stop this hogwash, the west has economic problems of their own which they are battling to deal with, inclding thru printing money, so these huge credit facilities waiting to be unleashed on Zim once Bob goes are a figment of your imagination "day dreaming". Zimbabwe needs economic policies that are not predicated on donations which the current crop of politicians seem to place so much faith on and continously shift goal posts about the conditions for economic aid. Too bad the GNU is a reality you have to accept and shout as much as you might want, it will not change that reality.

TD;

It should be clear, known and understood by now that Phiri is a two-headed snake (Tsutsu kuviri). He is a danger to the new Zimbabwe we are trying to create. The problem with unprincipled people like him is that their loyalty does not lie with one country. He is one person who says, 'if things go bad here I will go there'.

That’s why he wants to always please both sides of the coin and yet one has to choose one’s side - you are either with us or against us. If he feels he is better off on the imperialist camp so be it but if he feels he can contribute something to the protection of the revolution, he should come out in the open instead of trying to have his bread buttered on both sides.

Remember he once said that his parents supported Muzorewa before independence but changed and started supporting Zanu-pf after independence. He is trying to do the same - Mbudzi kudya mufenje hufanan'ina (Like father like son).

and Takunya, you said the CIA invented homosexuality... so really you have no credibility at all.

Well said my brothers TD and Moyondizvo..., When something like this happens to the country that is when we see who really wants to see Zimbabwe to develop..The ones on this debate who want to see the nation destroyed and its people live in misery will expose themselves..Then the ones who genuinely want to see the nation prosper and its people to have a better life will be seen by responding positively to the credit facilies &economic aid given to the country..People like Katsi,juhlman and Phiri exposed their position in regards to Zim development and its people..For these guys, economic development of the nation is the last thing they want becoz they fear it will create employment,reduce inflation,improve economic infrastructure subsequently boost President Mugabe's support and there will be no basis for regime change..This is where the fear lies at.The MDC formations used to have the same destructive mindset hence their calls for economic sanctions and international isolation of zim..MDC also played a ruinous role alongside Britain in subbotaging the RBZ's Diaspora Homelink facility , country's tourism sector and foreign direct investment simply becoz they feared the country's economic development will boost President Mugabe's support..The West, feels that the entire nation has to suffer from economic misery so that pile on the blame on Cde Mugabe and he is deposed..Any country's opposition party needs to campaign in a patriotic and nationalistic manner that does not seek to destroy the country and its people..

Taku, Mabhiza , TD et al

I was away all day and now am back. Vakomana imi keep up the nice stuff you are posting.

We can all witness intentions and dreams. Some of us would like to see our country back on its feet, companies re-tooling, increasing their productive capacities, produce for the domestic as well as the export market, increase forex earnings create jobs and improve the quality of life for Zimbabweans. All this, after the much campained for and destructive sanctions. We would like to continue on a relentless pursuit to our self determination and soverighty.

However,some of our colleagues would like to see the GNU fail and as a matter of fact, intend to champion the Western Agenda of regime change. Let us not waste our sleep and just dream myths. An ordinary citizen like me will remind all the aspirants of doom, that we will be stuck together for a little while. Let us remember that this country was never given to us on a silver platter. Why is the West not ready to lift the damn sanctions? There have good reasons which you are all aware of. They have their conditions as espoused in their agenda. We all know that. However, comrades, remember MDC have advocated for the imposition of sanctions, promising the West that If they put screws on Zimbabwe and the Zanu pf Government, Zimbabwe would collapse in less than a month. The US, UK and the rest of the West(Worst) believed the MDC. For months and then years this did not happen. Zimbabwe soldiered on. Then came the silly tactics, with McGee suggesting to Bush that Gono must be offered jobs in World Bank ADB etc. (How low could the US sink)?

Nothing happened and , the Worst now cannot believe the MDC in their quest for the lifting of the sanctions which they called for. The Worst(West) is now asking the MDC,"What is in there for us, since your earlier request lacked honesty and sincerity?" The MDC was proved wrong in the first place and so that partnership will never be revived, notwithstanding the fact that the West have their regime change, with or without the MDC.

Put it in another way the West is not doing it for the MDC. We are stuck together for a little while and let us be positive about the future of our country. Stop this paranoia of unnecessary wish lists and evil prayers of doom. China is going to help our companies to operate fully, increase employment etc. That is our prayer. Zimbabwe will prevail.

My African brothers, the west is in deep shit,they know it.Now the Chinese and others are making very valuable inroads into what used to be the preserve of the criminal imperialistic west and they are crying wolf where there is none.LOOK EAST Africa, we,ve always looked to one direction for so long that we forgot there are other directions, now we realise there are other directions and what a feeling of relief.Let them (western racist hypocrites) GO HANG IF THEY CAN,T STAND THE NEW DIRECTION OF WORLD AFFAIRS.God bless Africa, damn the criminal invaders from the west and elsewhere.

My African brothers and sisters, using this great timing to congratulate the contributions of our glorious sisters who,ve made it possible for the men to fight for justice and some equally irrepressible one,s who in fact took active part in the struggle.We are never going to go down, the imperialists with all their scheming and machinations will never succeed in their quest to destroy something (AFRICA) simply because they did not have the good fortune to have it.

TD, I want Zimbabwe to succeed and I have said so many times on this blog. And I'm not opposed to Zimbabwe getting a line of credit from PRC. However, I'm also concerned at this point that Mugabe seeing a Chinese line of credit, might interprete that he needs no further changes in Zimbabwe. The truth is that the GNU is being tone apart by Mugabe's desire to hold onto power indefinately. That is why most western countries see this and have imposed conditions on the loans to bring true democracy to Zimbabwe. Otherwise Mugabe will just be to happy to spend the Billion dollars and Zimbabwe will be back to cholera, disease, starving educated Zimbabwean fleeing to SA to be busboys etc.

Amen Phiri:

I often disagree with you, but at least one can rely on your fairness - even as an opponent sometimes.

You are a worthwhile (yet sometimes infuriating) voice of dissentiion.

Cheers!

Why hasn't 'The Herald' run a story on this? Could it be that they need time figure out how to twist it so that Biti and the MDC don't get any credit?

Tsvangirai and Biti.............getting credit for what? For your information, let Tsvangirai cross over to the East, then he will never be welcome to the West. Consult your MDC members what their views are on China, India and the East in general.

This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.

This is a good thing that has happened!

Loans, loans, loans, yes guess who will use the loans? Mugabe and Zanupf probably to buy cheap shit from China and guns and ammunition, then of course Zanupf will default on the loans like before and expect MDC tp pay it back, plus the rest of HARD working Zimbabweans. This is of course while they buy more mansions overseas for their kids, and have nice vacations to Malyasia and China. Why are Zimbabweans so stupid? You the hard working people will have to pay the GNU excesses, overseas trips and overseas education for their children oh and before I forget overseas shopping for Grace and the rest of ZANUPF. Wake UP!!!!FOOLS.

These Zanu-Pf zombies' skulls are so devoid of any brain matter that they do not know which way their noses point to and which way their backsides face any more. They have no sense of direction and the 'mtokolotchas' that they are, will continue on their road of destruction whilst Mugabe continues to steal and prosper. If Mr Tsvangirai and his MDC win the election two years from now, it will be another situation like the United States of America, where President Obama has inherited a huge deficit and many many broken systems, an unnecessary war in Iraq swallowing billions of dollars when Saddam was known not to have any weapons of mass destruction as confessed by Dick Cheney after the effect. All this brokenness of the USA that was left by George Bush, President Obama is now scrambling to fix and no matter what anyone says, you cannot fix brokenness to such a large extent without spending huge sums of money to correct them. President Clinton did a fantastic job for his nation, leaving a healthy surplus so I am hoping President Obama does the same. Yes during the second term of George Bush even standards of cleanliness declined. Where litter on freeway entries and exits were not seen, they are now a common sight. Downtown Los Angeles is now a second Mexico with trash left strewn all over the pavements, with the Mexican community allowed to cook food at street corners without the regulation of health inspectors. All of Mayor Tom Bradleys's hard work of beautifying Los Angeles has gone down the toilet. You have to see it to believe it. So like the USA, It is not going to be an easy ride for whoever governs Zimbabwe after Mugabe's pilferage, that is if they are committed to the people of Zimbabwe and not just their own pockets as thieving Mugabe has done.