On August 19, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding attended and addressed the Second Harare Forum on Africa, themed on “Rural Development and Modernisation”. The event brought together nearly 200 participants from various sectors, including representatives from Tsinghua University; Zimbabwean Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Hon. Monica Mutsvangwa; Deputy Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, Hon. Kudakwashe Mupamhanga; as well as members of the Zimbabwean Parliament, business community, think tanks, and media.

Ambassador Zhou shared China’s experience in rural revitalization and emphasized that modernization does not mean Westernization. He stressed the importance of each country pursuing a path suited to its own conditions. On the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zimbabwe, he reaffirmed China’s commitment to supporting Zimbabwe’s agricultural modernization through infrastructure building, technology transfer, trade in agricultural products, and the implementation of a zero-tariff policy. These measures are intended to deepen and solidify the China-Zimbabwe Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation.

Participants from Zimbabwe agreed that the Forum would help strengthen bilateral exchanges and cooperation between China and Zimbabwe in areas such as agricultural modernization and rural revitalization. They expressed hope that practical cooperation between the two countries would continuously yield new achievements and contribute to the realization of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030.