HARARE, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe on Wednesday held a reception in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
The reception was attended by Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding, Zimbabwe's acting Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Frederick Shava, government officials and representatives of Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party, among others.
Zhou said that 77 years ago, China emerged from a century of foreign aggression and domestic turmoil, transforming into a major global economy and the world's largest manufacturer and trader of goods under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, which marks its 105th founding anniversary this year.
"At a time when deficits in peace, development, security and governance keep growing, and against the backdrop of global volatility, China continues to offer new approaches to the challenges confronting world peace and global governance," said Zhou.
Zhou highlighted that major cooperation projects have continued to yield tangible results, noting that the upgraded Robert Mugabe International Airport and Victoria Falls International Airport continue to enhance Zimbabwe's international connectivity, while Hwange Power Station Units 7 and 8 and the Kariba South Hydropower Station continue to supply more than half of the country's electricity.
"Going forward, under Zimbabwe's Open for Business policy, guided by market-based and commercial principles, and anchored in our traditional friendship, Chinese investment will continue to boost Zimbabwe's industrial capacity and local value addition," said Zhou.
For his part, Shava said that Chinese investments have played a transformative role in Zimbabwe's economy, with landmark cooperation projects directly uplifting the livelihoods of citizens.
"Today, 46 years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between Zimbabwe and China, our friendship has been tried, tested, and proven resilient. We celebrate not only China's historic achievements, but also a partnership anchored in sovereign equality, mutual respect, and enduring South-South solidarity," said Shava.
He also highlighted Chinese-supported projects in broadband infrastructure development, high-performance computing, academic scholarships and technical training as key contributions to Zimbabwe's development and youth empowerment.
