On 28 November 2025, the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe hosted an awards ceremony for the 2025 China-Zimbabwe Friendship Scholarship and the essay contest commemorating the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zimbabwe. Chinese Ambassador Zhou Ding and Zimbabwe’s Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Hon. Frederick Shava, attended the event, which brought around 150 attendees including scholarship recipients and essay contest awardees.

Ambassador Zhou highlighted that people-to-people exchanges and educational cooperation are vital components of the all-weather community with a shared future between China and Zimbabwe, serving as a crucial bridge for deepening mutual understanding between the two peoples. He encouraged the 61 scholarship recipients and 19 essay contest awardees to seize the opportunities ahead and strive to become driving forces in advancing Zimbabwe’s economic and social development, as well as in strengthening the bonds of friendship between the two nations.

Minister Shava noted that the close educational collaboration between Zimbabwe and China reflects the continuously deepening practical cooperation between the two countries. He emphasized that such cooperation supports Zimbabwe’s pursuit of its Vision 2030 and bolsters its efforts in talent cultivation and industrialization.

The award recipients expressed joy and excitement at being recognized, pledging to serve as envoys of China-Zimbabwe friendship and to contribute actively to writing new chapters in the bilateral relations.