Chinese businesses are already major investors in Zimbabwe, particularly in mining and mineral processing, but in his pitch to potential Chinese investors at the end of his visit to China last week, President Mnangagwa made it clear that there were many other opportunities available where their investments would be very welcome.
The President stressed the economic and investment reforms, the high rate of economic growth, so robust that it is continuing even if at a lower level in this year of severe drought, the open economy, the high levels of education and the range of resources.
Chinese businesses that have already invested in Zimbabwe have been doing well, have been treated fairly and along with other investors, have benefited from the streamlined investment regulations and the open and corruption-free processes.
That must be a major selling point for Zimbabwe, and it is highly likely that Chinese enterprises looking at Zimbabwe will among their many other checks make contact with businesses already here.
The Chinese Embassy in Harare is active in keeping in communication with Chinese businesses in Zimbabwe and trading with Zimbabwe, as part of its own functions, and no doubt also gives confidential briefings to Chinese businesses becoming involved in Zimbabwe, as it should.
So we can expect a lot more Chinese investment, as good news travels just as fast as bad news. Besides traditional investment in resources, there are many other openings, with perhaps green energy being one of the major ones.
China has been moving rapidly, at faster rates than it promised, to fulfil its commitments under the global agreements over reducing carbon emissions and controlling temperature rises so limiting climate change.
As the world's largest industrial economy and second largest total economy, such commitment is critical, and an example to many western industrial countries.
But that success has been driven by Chinese innovation and research into new green technologies. And alternative energy sources, and alternative industrial processes, and alternative vehicles can be very good business indeed. Part of this comes from the attitude of Chinese culture these days, one of looking at the alternatives and the newer ways and not being tied to Victorian industrial thinking, and being able to convert new ideas to new technology very quickly in such a huge market.
Anyone wanting to see how modern technologies can accelerate industrialisation should drive past the new Disco steelworks in Manhize, where the modern technologies used by Tsingshan create a different sort and far cleaner environment than traditional steelworks.
At the same time Disco is investing in using waste heat and renewable energies to minimise its reliance, and Zimbabwe's reliance, on coal energy.
So the President was keen on investment in research and development in engineering, biomedical industries, ICT and new-energy sectors along with the more traditional investment in mining, agriculture, infrastructure development, manufacturing, services, transport, and tourism.
A major attraction of Zimbabwe is that it is in SADC, and is an enthusiastic supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which while still in its early days, will be creating the world's largest free trade zone and the first covering a full continent.
Free trade, and free regional trade, do of course have rules of origin, meaning that the goods and services being moved around without barriers have to originate in the countries concerned.
But the ownership of the producers is not laid down, opening the doors to outside investors investing in manufacturing in Africa, and with Zimbabwe being high on any list for such a base.
This is now a plank of Zimbabwe's investment strategy, being the sort of country where outside investors are welcome to set up their African operations to serve markets far larger than just Zimbabwe.
President Mnangagwa, who coupled his State visit to China with his attendance at the Forum on China Africa Co-operation (FOCAC), with its ambitious Beijing Action Plan, and the 8th Conference of Chinese and African Entrepreneurs, did note that speeding up mutually beneficial development and investment in Africa would require Government efforts, as well as those of the private sector. Zimbabwe was ready to do its share.
One outcome of FOCAC is China providing Africa with US$50,69 billion over the next three years for development, and Zimbabwe will obviously be among those benefiting.
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But China has gone further in seeing fairer trade as critical for development. President Xi Jinping announced that China will now allow exports from the least developed countries duty free entry to Chinese markets, an exceptionally practical benefit that encourages growth in the supplier country as well.
The advantage to both sides in these investment and trade openings can be seen in the China-Zimbabwe trade relationship.
China already accounts for 18 percent of Zimbabwean exports and supplies 15 percent of Zimbabwean imports. That is almost balanced trade and shows that as Zimbabwe earns more and more from exports, Chinese suppliers earn more and more from the rising imports the exports fund.
No one lays this down; it is the result of businesses on both sides having the right products at the right price.
In other words, if the economies at each end of a trade relationship are growing, the trade between them will grow as more money becomes available and more markets open. The Chinese not only welcome this, they positively encourage it recognising that countries can grow richer together far faster than with solidly protected markets.
