Beijing — CHINA is pleased that Zimbabwe has achieved national reconciliation and set up an inclusive Government and now wants the West to lift its ruinous economic embargo, a senior Chinese official has said.
China's Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Zhai Jun, told African journalists here on Tuesday that China is convinced that the inclusive Government is in the best interest of Zimbabwe and the Southern African region and would, therefore, support it.
"China believes that dialogue is the best way to solve Zimbabwe's problems," he said.
"This is why we used our veto power at the United Nations Security Council to block any further measures against Zimbabwe. China supports the coalition government of Zimbabwe and its people to overcome their difficulties and we have provided assistance to Zimbabwe to the best of our abilities."
Mr Zhai recalled his visit to Zimbabwe earlier this year when he met President Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara. He said during that visit China had given Zimbabwe US$5 million in cash and 30 million RMB (Chinese currency) in kind and in project funding.
"In the future we will provide further assistance as our ability permits. We, therefore, call on Western countries to lift their embargo on Zimbabwe," he said.
Mr Zhai was speaking ahead of mammoth celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China today.
Already Beijing is in a festive mood and has literally been painted red as the national flag and flowers adorn almost every building. Beijing is a city of over 12 million people and over four million cars run through its streets everyday.
Now the city is bracing for a shutdown.
The main celebrations will be held at Tian'amen Square, where there will be a daytime parade of China's military might and an evening gala for the public.
According to China Daily, the celebrations will impact heavily on bus routes, subway lines and on roads. For most of the public getting to Tian'amen Square will be mission impossible because of the tight security.
A total of 241 bus routes will be affected while Beijing Capital International Airport will shut down for three hours, affecting some 800 flights.
The airport handles at least 1 000 flights or at least one flight every minute.
Most people will have to follow the proceedings on television and on giant screens that are placed in many strategic positions throughout the city. Authorities are advising residents of Beijing
to stay indoors and most say they will comply. "I have no choice. I have tanks rumbling in front of my apartment," quipped Izumi Quan, a Beijing-based writer from Japan.
"Everywhere is closed. If we go out during the next two days, we can only head south all the way to the suburbs of Beijing," said Jiang Ning, another resident.
China has every reason to celebrate in grand fashion. It is enjoying unprecedented prosperity following its reform and opening up programme, which began almost 30 years ago.
This programme was anchored on yet another 30 years of China's political, social and economic transformation. China is now the third largest economy in the world, behind the United States and Japan and is pushing to become the second largest this year. It has adopted a market system within its socialist system, which appears to be working well.
When most countries are feeling the pinch of the global economic crisis, China has taken a slight knock. It has, however, responded by introducing a series of stimulus measures, which have given new impetus to its economy.
According to Mr Li Xiaobing, the deputy director of the Department of Western Asian and African Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Commerce, China is aiming for an 8 percent growth in its Gross Domestic Product this year. The period January to August has seen over 14 000 foreign direct investors setting up enterprises in the country.
With all this prosperity, China says it will remain committed to Africa, which provides the biggest cluster of developing countries. It has trade with 53 African countries and is experiencing an annual growth of 30 percent in the volume of trade with Africa.
Mr Li said mutual benefit and co-operation would remain the guiding principle of China's relations with Africa and other developing countries. He said China had opened up its market to Africa and adopted a zero-tariff regime for products from African countries. "Political equality, win-win and mutual benefit is our strategy towards Africa," he said.
"China and Africa are developing countries and have similar experiences in history and now face similar challenges in development. Sincerity, friendship, equality and non-interference in each other's internal affairs is an important feature of our relations."
In growing its relations with Africa, China would not impose its own ideology, values and lifestyle. "Nor will we impose our own will. We will not attach any strings," said Mr Zhai.
He said China supported Africa's call for the reform of the United Nations and of the composition of the Security Council. In reforming the Security Council the problem of under-representation of Africa would have to be addressed.
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Little Billy Crudup Calls On West To Lift Sanctions!
By Bobby Mugabi
Little 4 year old Billy Crudup of 41 East St. announced from the sandbox in the playground that the west must lift sanctions. He said "Dey aw vewy westwictive cus some people can't visit Disneyland and dats vewy bad." As he filled his replica Volvo L200 F9 Deisel toy dumptruck with sand he added " peoples shoud pway nice and share." The interview was cut short when his mommy called out "Billy, get away from that dirty old man!" Billy's last words as left pushing his little dumptruck were "vwoom, vwoom, beep beep beep". This reporter then rushed back to the Herald knowing this mindless drivel will greatly please the editors.
Mrzyphl;
China is not only a big country population wise but politically, culturally, economically as well as militarily and so America has to listen to it and repeal ZIDERA. Despite the obvious demonization being paddled by people like you about China ALL COUNTRIES and I mean ALL COUNTRIES are looking east to China for investment, financial assistance and bailouts and for support at international forums.
When all the other four permanent members of the Security Council agreed to discuss Zimbabwe at the instigation of Britain and the USA, China intervened and said it will not be done and it was not done - up to this day nobody has been able to bring Zimbabwe before the SC despite all concerted efforts by imperialists. Remember Russia was initially on the side of imperialists but when China said NO WAYS Russia went to the side of China and the imperialist effort came to nothing.
When China said it will give Zimbabwe development money (and started with an amount of about USD1 Billion), IMF, through the instigation of the Obama regime, started running around like a headless chicken and announced a USD500 Million. All these happenings were as a result of CHINA's muscle. America, under the Bush regime, wanted to bomb North Korea, and it could have bombed the innocent country before Iraq but China said NO to bombs but YES to negotiations. Successive Bush regimes came and go but negotiations have continued up to this day - this shows China's total influence on international issues.
China told America and Britain to stop interfering in the internal affairs of its autonomous province and they listened. What then stops them from listening now when China calls on the barbaric west to lift their illegal, racist, disastrous and murderous sanctions on the people of Zimbabwe? If they listened before, then they are bound to listen again today when China speaks because big brother is speaking - CHINA.
Everybody will listen because if they don't they lose Chinese support on other more important and more pressing issues like North Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran. When you lose Chinese support on any issue of international magnitude, you lose the international community. The west, therefore, desperately needs China's support on those fronts.
Therefore, sanctions on Zimbabwe are going to be lifted this time round, come rain come thunder and whether you like it or not and even if you compare China with a small boy playing with a toy dump truck, the imperialists will listen and will comply with the master's instructions. China is the master, the big brother and is everything the imperialist west wants today.
Takunya, again you couldnt be more stupid! Do you really think China will try and use its military might to force the US to drop ZDERA?
Still think the CIA invented homosexuality!?
Also, you never answered my question... how can the IMF release $500m for Zimbabwe with ZDERA in place? Clearly ZDERA doesnt affect the IMF's decision and is therefore not a sanction!
Idiotic Awt;
I answered your question a long time ago. If you have a small brain that cannot keep things for long; it cannot be my problem. On two occasions I gave you a straight forward answer to your not-so-clever question.
Mr Ndebvu, please please never tell others not to lie, when you yourself lie at every turn. You are far from perfect. Only My Son , Jesus is perfect. You Mr Ndebvu are just a liar. Please take it up with me on Judgement Day. I will not lie for you.
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