Tapiwa Chirume
STAFF WRITER
CHINA has reaffirmed its commitment to Zimbabwe’s human-capital development, with over 6 000 Zimbabweans studying in China over the past decade.
Speaking at the scholarship awarding ceremony in Harare yesterday, Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding said the scale of educational exchanges reflected the depth of the bilateral relationship and demonstrated China’s long-term commitment to building Zimbabwe’s skills base.
“Over the past decade, more than 6 000 Zimbabwean students have studied in China,” Zhou said.
“Many have grown into accomplished professionals contributing to Zimbabwe’s national development,” he said.
Zhou said the scholarships were about more than providing financial assistance to students.
“Far more than financial support, this award stands as a testament to the enduring goodwill and friendship between our two nations,” he said.
He said Zimbabwe’s human-capital ambitions were closely aligned with China’s development cooperation priorities.
“Our efforts are fully aligned with Zimbabwe’s national development priorities, complementing the Government’s endeavours to modernise its education system, cultivate high-calibre talent, and broaden opportunities for young people in Zimbabwe,” he said.
The Ambassador said the cooperation was aimed at strengthening Zimbabwe’s capacity to build an innovation-driven and industrialised economy.
“We aim to strengthen Zimbabwe’s capacity to build an innovation-driven, industrialised economy in line with Vision 2030 and Heritage-Based Education 5.0,” he said.
“A case in point is the University of Zimbabwe, which proudly hosts the Confucius Institute, the High-Performance Computing Centre, and the China-Zimbabwe Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Agriculture, among others,” he said.
He said such initiatives were helping expand Zimbabwe’s access to knowledge, technology and specialised skills needed to accelerate national development.
“China and Zimbabwe enjoy a time-honoured and robust partnership in education,” he said.
“As China and Zimbabwe forge ahead in building our all-weather community with a shared future, your command of the Chinese language and cross-cultural competence stand as truly invaluable assets,” he said.
He urged beneficiaries to maximise their time in China by acquiring both academic qualifications and broader international exposure.
The Ambassador added that the opportunities for cooperation were set to expand further, citing areas such as trade, investment, digital transformation, green development and human-capital development.
Meanwhile, Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development minister Frederick Shava said the scholarships represented a longstanding partnership that was producing tangible benefits for both countries.
“The scholarships we celebrate today are not isolated gestures, but rather part of a longstanding and fruitful partnership between Zimbabwe and China,” Shava said.
He said 20 Zimbabwean students had benefited from the Chinese Government Scholarship Programme between 2024 and 2026, while 200 students had been supported through the China-Zimbabwe Friendship Scholarship.
“Over the past decade, more than 6 000 Zimbabweans have pursued further studies in China, a testament to the depth and consistency of our educational cooperation,” he said.
Shava said the partnership was particularly significant because the students were being trained in areas considered strategic to Zimbabwe’s future.
“These opportunities are tangible evidence of the mutual commitment to advancing knowledge, fostering innovation, and strengthening the bonds of friendship between our two nations,” he said.
The latest beneficiaries include recipients of the 2026–2027 Chinese Government Scholarship and the 2026 China-Zimbabwe Friendship Scholarship, with Beijing describing the programmes as an investment in the future of Zimbabwe-China relations.