RELATIONS between Harare and Beijing are continuing to deepen, with growing investment, trade, and cultural exchanges expected to further boost the country’s socio-economic development, Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding has said.
Speaking at the 2026 Chinese New Year Carnival in Harare yesterday, Zhou said the past year had delivered “remarkable achievements” for bilateral relations and for what he described as an “all-weather community with a shared future” between the two countries.
“The year 2025 has been a year of remarkable achievements for China-Zimbabwe relations.
“Our investment and trade relations have continued to deepen, injecting fresh momentum into Zimbabwe’s socio-economic development,” Zhou said.
He said several landmark projects supported by Chinese government financing and private sector investment had been completed and commissioned, reflecting growing cooperation between the two nations.
“We have proudly witnessed the completion and commissioning of some landmark projects supported by Chinese government financing or driven by China’s private sector investments.
“Today, as we celebrate the Chinese New Year, we also celebrate our enduring partnership, our unwavering solidarity and our joint achievements in the past year,” he said.
Zhou thanked the government and the local Chinese community for organising the celebrations, saying the event demonstrated a strong commitment to friendship and cultural exchange.
“With this Chinese New Year carnival, you have once again demonstrated your deep commitment to the friendship between China and Zimbabwe, and to Zimbabwe’s cultural diversity and economic prosperity,” he said.
The ambassador said the Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, had grown into a global celebration observed by nearly two billion people and shared values similar to Zimbabwe’s ubuntu philosophy.
“Its core values resonate deeply with the spirit of Ubuntu. Both China and Zimbabwe hold our traditions and cultural heritage dear, which form the foundation of our societies and provide enduring wisdom and strength on our paths to prosperity,” the ambassador added.
Zhou noted that 2026 had been designated by China and the African Union as the China-Africa Year of people-to-people exchanges, and pledged continued cooperation between the two countries.
“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 to further strengthen the fraternal bonds between our two great nations,” he said.
Tapiwa Chirume