Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Huang Ping
John Manzongo
Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Huang Ping has challenged the country’s agricultural sector to double its production as there is a ready market in the giant Asian country.
Ambassador Huang was addressing delegates during celebrations to mark the 68th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in Harare yesterday.
“China has huge demand for organic agricultural food. For example road runner chickens are priced at US$25 each in my country. In the first half of this year Zimbabwe exported flowers to Shanghai Municipality in China and were all sold out and when the new order was made, Zimbabwe failed to meet that after all flowers were finished.
“In short, Zimbabwe has exactly what we need in China and the price margin is unbelievable,” he said. On tourism, Ambassador Huang said many Chinese people knew little about Zimbabwe as most online news articles were either outdated or misrepresented.
“In 2016 alone, Chinese outbound tourists reached 135 million while few came to Zimbabwe. Going forward, more publicity needs to be done to promote the tourism sector of Zimbabwe.
“Chinese beauty contest called ‘Miss Universe’ will be held in Zimbabwe and it will attract millions of online Chinese viewers and I believe that will be the perfect opportunity for the country to market itself and bring about positive change in the sector,” said Ambassador Huang.
He said people to people exchanges were another way of marketing the two countries. Ambassador Huang said this enhances mutual understanding and friendship.
He said China continues to invest in Zimbabwe in projects such as Kariba South Hydropower station expansion, TelOne communication project, Harare International Airport expansion and Hwange power station expansion, among other projects.
Policy Co-ordination and Promotion of Socio-Economic Ventures Minister Simon Khaya Moyo, who was representing Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, said the two countries are all weather friends whose relations date back to the days of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle. He said China continues to invest in the country.
The anniversary celebrations were attended by President Mugabe’s son-in-law Simba Chikore and his wife Bona, several Government ministers, service chiefs and diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe.