HARARE, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabweans on Saturday were treated to Chinese cuisine and traditional performances at a carnival held in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year.
The carnival, organized by the China-Zimbabwe Exchange Center in partnership with the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe, featured cultural performances, including Chinese martial arts and musical performances by Zimbabwean and Chinese artists, and an exhibition showcasing a variety of Chinese cuisine and products.
"As we step into the Year of the Horse, we celebrate the attributes this noble animal symbolizes in your culture, namely strength, intelligence, vitality and unwavering purpose. These are not just Chinese values, they are universal aspirations that we connect deeply with the Zimbabwean spirit," Zimbabwe's Deputy Minister of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture Emily Jesaya said at the carnival.
She said the designation of 2026 as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges underscores the fact that sustainable relations between nations are built not only through economic cooperation but also through cultural dialogue and mutual understanding.
Over the years, she said, cooperation between Zimbabwe and China has continued to expand beyond trade and development into the wider experience of arts, culture, tourism, education and the creative industries.
Tinashe Murambwa, one of the carnival attendees, told Xinhua that he was delighted to try Chinese cuisine for the first time. "Food has the remarkable ability to bring people together and create a sense of cultural connection," he said.
In his remarks at the carnival, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said the year 2025 has been a year of remarkable achievements in China-Zimbabwe relations.
"With the Year of the Horse just around the corner, I reaffirm China's commitment to advancing our all-weather partnership. I look forward to working closely with our Zimbabwean friends and the Chinese community here to further strengthen the fraternal bonds between our two great nations," he said.
