HARARE, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- As the Chinese New Year approaches, the economic partnership between China and Zimbabwe is expected to gain fresh momentum as bilateral cooperation continues to expand, a Zimbabwean minister has said.
In an interview with Xinhua on Saturday during a carnival celebrating the upcoming Chinese New Year in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Development Monica Mutsvangwa said "What the Year of the Horse signifies is more vigor, perseverance and that unwavering support. We will always say to China, we are friends indeed and friends always."
According to the minister, Zimbabwe's SMEs stand to significantly enhance their competitiveness through increased market access, technology transfer and investment in the new year.
"As you are aware, the SMEs in this country are the pulse of the economy. They are producing more than 60 percent of the GDP. These SMEs, we obviously want them to have digital skills," she said.
Describing China's development as a source of inspiration for Zimbabwean SMEs aspiring to become large international corporations, Mutsvangwa said "We have seen ourselves learning more from the Chinese companies. I have had an opportunity to take 53 SMEs to China so that they can also understand and learn from those companies that started as SMEs and are big corporate companies today."
She said the relationship between Zimbabwe and China, rooted in China's historical support for Zimbabwe's liberation struggle, is now evolving into a modern partnership aimed at mutual prosperity.
"So we continue to learn, and we continue to share experiences. There is a lot that China needs from us, and there is a lot that we need from them. So that is a good win-win partnership," she said.
Zimbabwe's Vision 2030, which aims to transform the country into an upper-middle-income economy, hinges on the growth of SMEs, and Chinese investment can unlock growth in local industries, Mutsvangwa added.
"There has been a lot of Chinese investment going on in our country, and that has created employment, and this is what we want. We want our youth to be employed," she stressed.
The minister also applauded Chinese private capital for enhancing Zimbabwe's industrial capacity, particularly in steel manufacturing, cement production and mining.
"China has always been there for Zimbabwe, before and after independence. We have seen more Chinese capital coming into the country," she said, noting that Chinese investment has been pivotal in financing Zimbabwe's critical infrastructure.
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