Xi hails Mnangagwa as old friend of China

President Xi Jinping greeted his Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa as an “old friend” of China on Tuesday during the African leader’s state visit to Beijing, which previously backed his ousted predecessor, Robert Mugabe.

Mnangagwa, who received military training in China when he was a young liberation fighter in the 1960s, was met with a military honour guard at the Great Hall of the People on his first state visit outside of Africa.

The two leaders oversaw the signing of six documents, including a letter on economic and development cooperation and another on emergency food assistance, as Mnangagwa seeks help from an ally with historic ties to Zimbabwe.

“I heartily welcome President Mnangagwa on his visit to Beijing,” Xi said as the two sat down for talks. “You are an old friend of China and I appreciate your efforts to develop relations in all areas,” he said.

Mugabe sacked Mnangagwa from his job as vice-president in November over a succession tussle with first lady Grace Mugabe, leading to a military intervention that ended with the veteran president’s ousting and Mnangagwa taking office.

The country’s then-army chief, General Constantino Chiwenga, had visited Beijing shortly before the military action, leading to questions about whether China had any role in the power transfer.

China denied it played any part in the transition.

Chiwenga was named vicepresident in December.

Beijing had long been one of Mugabe’s most powerful allies and a key trade partner, as the West shunned him over his government’s human rights violations, but it avoided publicly taking sides during his ousting.

Xi said he was willing to work with Mnangagwa to “map out our future co-operation and write a new chapter in ChinaZimbabwe relations”.

Mnangagwa told the Chinese president he appreciated China’s “political support and goodwill” after the “peaceful political transition in Zimbabwe”.

Mnangagwa has also been accused of playing a key role in his mentor Mugabe’s authoritarian regime that left the economy in ruins and under sanctions.

The new president was targeted by EU and US measures imposed on Mugabe and his close allies over violence and intimidation during Zimbabwe’s 2008 presidential campaign.

The visit comes as China takes a more proactive role in Africa, where it has long invested in infrastructure projects and sought resources.

Relations between China and Zimbabwe date back to the liberation struggle of the 1960s, when Beijing provided arms and trained some of the top guerrilla leaders including Mnangagwa.

Before his arrival on Monday, Mnangagwa told China’s official Xinhua news agency that his trip was aimed at thanking Xi and the Chinese people for supporting his country “during the hard times when the West imposed sanctions on us”.

He said he would seek to sell Zimbabwe as a destination for Chinese investment and take part in economic forums aimed at attracting business to the country.

THE ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT SAID HE APPRECIATED CHINA’S POLITICAL SUPPORT AND GOODWILL