Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Mabasa Sasa
9 November 2009
Sharm El-Sheikh — CHINA'S partnership with Africa provides the best example of how countries should relate globally at the economic, political and cultural levels, President Mugabe has said.
Addressing the opening session of the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation here yesterday, President Mugabe said Beijing's engagement with the continent was a model the rest of the world should adopt.
President Mugabe's address came soon after Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao unveiled an eight-point plan outlining how his country would assist Africa over the next three years, including a US$10 billion concessional loan facility.
"China has been able to develop its economy without plundering other countries and the Chinese economic miracle is indeed a source of pride and inspiration," said President Mugabe.
"I would like to express my gratitude for the China-Africa partnership. It has set an example to other countries that may wish to engage Africa."
President Mugabe lauded China's assistance to the continent over the decades and expressed his hope that this partnership would continue to grow.
President Mugabe addressed the opening session in his capacity as chairperson of the Common Market for East and Southern Africa.
He was the first speaker following the addresses by Forum co-chairpersons President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and PM Wen.
President Mugabe said China had been instrumental in supporting Zimbabwe's economic turnaround efforts, hailing its policy of non-interference in domestic political affairs.
"It was here at Sharm el-Sheikh (at the 2008 African Union Summit) that African countries rejected external interference in our affairs, a position that has been fully supported by China."
"Our main political parties then formed an inclusive Government . . . The economy has stabilised and we are grateful to China, Sadc, Comesa and the rest of Africa for the lines of credit that have been extended to Zimbabwe.
"However, we still require aid, additional assistance in the form of lines of credit and balance of payments support.
"We wish to reiterate the calls made by the African Union, Sadc, Comesa, the Non-Aligned Movement and China for the lifting of the sanctions that are hurting our economy without further delay."
President Mugabe said more needed to be done to further deepen and broaden China-Africa ties, and Beijing could assist by getting more involved in regional projects such as those under Comesa.
He said other areas that could be looked into were agricultural support, noting that China had already done quite a lot in assisting Zimbabwe and a number of other East and Southern African countries in this regard.
"We should broaden the scope of our engagement in agriculture through partnerships in mitigating the effects of climate change, desertification and recurring droughts."
Chinese Premier Wen -- who held bilateral talks with President Mugabe on Saturday in which the two sides agreed to explore the extension of a development assistance package for Zimbabwe -- unveiled an eight-point plan on how Beijing would help Africa in the next three years.
The plan replaces the 2007-2009 eight-point plan adopted at the 2006 Focac Summit in Beijing, which both sides affirm China has implemented as promised.
The plan entails the establishment of a China-Africa partnership to address climate change that will see Beijing funding 100 clean energy projects across Africa.
The second aspect is the enhancement of science and technology co-operation in which again 100 projects will be rolled out.
One hundred African post-doctoral fellows will get further research opportunities in China and US$10 billion will be made available in concessional loans for projects across the continent.
Furthermore, China will provide a special US$1 billion loan facility for small and medium enterprises.
China said it would soon cancel the debts of Africa's least developed countries, amounting to billions of dollars in relief.
A zero tariff on 95 percent of products originating from or going to the least developed countries will be implemented over the next few years.
China has pledged to increase to 100 the number of agriculture demonstration centres such as the one under construction at Gwebi College, while 2 000 African agriculture technology experts will undergo relevant training.
The two sides will deepen co-operation in medical care and other health issues through the construction of 30 hospitals and 30 malaria treatment centres.
In October, construction began on a China-Zimbabwe Friendship Hospital in Mahusekwa, Mashonaland East.
The seventh aspect of the plan unveiled yesterday will see the building of schools, training of teachers and extension in the number of Chinese government scholarships open to African scholars.
The final part will see a strengthening of cultural ties through exchanges and engagement in sporting activities.
Think tanks will also be formed to explore ways in which co-operation can be furthered.
PM Wen said Focac was a bridge of friendship and platform for co-operation and had opened a new chapter in the manner in which international relations should be conducted.
He reaffirmed that China would never consider meddling in Africa's political affairs and the two sides should continue engaging each other progressively on the basis of mutual respect and development.
"We firmly believe that Africa is capable of solving its own problems in African ways.
"China has never attached any political strings in its support and assistance to Africa and will not do so in future.
"China-Africa relations have withstood the test of international reticence and we should continue to provide mutual support to each other in times of adversity.
". . . China will, as always, speak up for Africa and safeguard the interests of the African continent in the international arena.
"Whatever change that may take place in the world, our friendship with African people will not change. Our commitment to deepening mutually beneficial co-operation will not change, and our policy of supporting Africa's economic and social development will not change."
The conference, which is held every three years, ends today.
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At last a powerful Nation of hardworking people and the highest moral standards is helping a continent of the poorest people without outrageous pre-conditions and without interfering in their internal affairs; a huge, huge gap between China and US, isn't it?
Stupid Black Muntus ar yellow muntus, they are all the same!
Who has the highest moral standards? China? Right, I have been robbed more often in China than in the USA or any country in Africa. Further, the biggest crime will be even more foreign control over African economies yet again.
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