Presidents Xi and Mnangagwa have announced closer cooperation in mining, trade, investment and infrastructure

China and Zimbabwe have announced the upgrade of ties to an "all-weather community with a shared future," following talks between President Xi Jinping and President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday. 

The two leaders met in Beijing on the sidelines of events marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Imperial Japan and the end of World War II.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry readout, Xi noted that this year marks 45 years of diplomatic ties between Beijing and Harare, calling the relationship as "an example for solidarity and coordination between China and Africa, and for the Global South." He pledged support for Zimbabwe's development path and urged closer cooperation in infrastructure, mining, trade, and investment.

"China will continue to firmly support Zimbabwe in independently pursuing a development path suited to its conditions, oppose external interference and illegal sanctions, and safeguard the shared interests of both countries and the broader Global South," the Chinese president highlighted. 

Mnangagwa reiterated Zimbabwe's support for "building an all-weather community with a shared future with China, and will unwaveringly adhere to the one-China principle, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields."

China also advanced projects such as the Global Governance Initiative, proposed creating the International Organization for Mediation, and offered zero-tariff access to African countries.

Vsevolod Sviridov, an expert at the Center for African Studies at Moscow's Higher School of Economics, told RT that the agreement reflects a decade of closer ties, with China emerging as one of Harare's key partners. "At the same time, the political rhetoric here is complemented by Chinese investments. Over the past five years, Chinese companies have become key investors in the mining sector of Zimbabwe," he related.

For example, currently Zimbabwe accounts for most of Africa's lithium mining. In recent years, Chinese investors have poured around $2 billion into lithium exploration and infrastructure development.

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China remains Africa's largest trading partner. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, trade with Africa rose from under 100 billion yuan (about $13.9 billion) in 2000 to 2.1 trillion yuan in 2024, an average annual growth of 14.2%.