On April 25th, Ambassador Guo Shaochun met with Zimbabwean President Mnangagwa and briefed him on the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF), introducing the latest progress and major achievements of China-Zimbabwe cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). After the meeting, Ambassador Guo was interviewed by Zimbabwean media including the state television network. On the same day, Counselor Zhao Baogang gave interviews to local newspapers.
On April 29th, the Sunday Mail, a major newspaper in Zimbabwe, took a full page to publish a signed article by Ambassador Guo, introducing the latest achievements of China-Zimbabwe relations under the framework of the BRI and the FOCAC. The Herald, a newspaper publisher with the largest circulation in Zimbabwe, published a supplement focusing on the background, achievements and development prospects of the BRI, which attracted wide attention and warm response in Zimbabwe.
From April 25th to 28th, mainstream media including the Herald, News Day, Daily News, the Zimbabwe Independent and the Sunday Mail covered the second BRF, singing high praises for the Belt and Road Initiative, calling it a road of stability, development and prosperity, a road of history with vigor, and is the only way towards a community of shared future for mankind. The Belt and Road has promoted world connectivity, enhanced mutual understanding and friendship among people of various countries, and boosted economic growth and prosperity of the entire world. It has and will continue to provide new opportunities for all countries.
The BRI presents trade opportunities worth trillions of US dollars and is a great opportunity for President Mnangagwa to realize his vision to turn Zimbabwe into a middle-income country by 2030, the report said. The BRI has injected new impetus into Africa's economic growth in such areas as infrastructure, investment, finances, innovation and technology cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. The report stressed that Belt and Road is by no means a debt trap for African countries, and the allegation that China is seizing African resources is totally groundless. Countries should work with China to deepen practical cooperation and bring tangible benefits to the African and Chinese people by promoting policy, infrastructure, trade, finance and people-to-people connectivity.
The Herald reported on the keynote speech delivered by Mutsvangwa Zimbabwean, Minister of Media, Information and Publicity, who attended the BRF. She praised the BRI for providing Zimbabwe with the best opportunity to learn how to govern the country and develop the economy. She is eager for Zimbabwe to become a major partner of China's BRI and for China to help President Mnangagwa achieve national prosperity. She hoped that other countries will also accept this initiative in a cordial manner.
