Chinese official hails ED’s practical skills

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa’s practical leadership, together with the citizens’ hard work, will see the country overcoming its economic challenges to become a regional powerhouse within the next three years.

Vice chairman of the General Chamber of Commerce of Overseas Chinese in Zimbabwe, Colonel Tang Zheng Jun (Retired), said this during an exchange meeting with the country’s security forces at the Chinese Embassy on Thursday.

Col Zheng (Retired) said Zimbabwe’s decision to join China’s Belt Road Initiative (BRI), funded to the tune of US$120 billion by the Asian giant will help bring “more momentum” to the country’s economic recovery.

“Now with the strong leadership of the new Government of His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe has ushered in a new era of history of socio-economic development with its open for business and reform policy to engage the world and attract more investors for restoration and growth of Zimbabwe’s economy,” he said.

“And it is a far-sighted step that Zimbabwe decided to join the China’s Belt Road Initiative to gather more momentum for Zimbabwe’s economic recovery. We are confident and firmly believe that with the practical and efficient governance of the new Government, with diligence and tenacity of Zimbabwean people, and with the firm consistent support from the Chinese government and Chinese people, Zimbabwe will eventually walk out of the temporary darkness and throes and restore its past glories as South African food and vegetable basket.”

Col Zheng (Retired), who is an investor in Zimbabwe, said the Chinese are optimistic that Zimbabwe’s economy will recover “within the next three to five years or even a shorter period of time”, and “become rich and great again”.

“It is our dream and hope that the flower of Zimbabwe-China friendship will be more and more in full fresh blossom as time goes on. We are more than eagerly anticipating the earliest arrival of the day of shiningness of Zimbabwe glory in great success,” he said.

He urged Zimbabweans to remain calm as the country undergoes a transitional period of drastic economic reform and social development.