On February 7, 2026, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding addressed the opening ceremony of the 2026 Harare Chinese New Year Carnival. He joined over 1,000 guests, including Zimbabwean dignitaries, friends from all walks of life, members of the local Chinese community, and representatives of Chinese enterprises and institutions in Zimbabwe to welcome the Lunar New Year of the Horse.

Extending Lunar New Year greetings to all attendees, Ambassador Zhou noted that in 2025, China-Zimbabwe relations were elevated to an all-weather community with a shared future, providing new opportunities and momentum for bilateral cooperation. President Xi Jinping's reply letter to veterans of the Zimbabwean liberation struggle underscores the profound friendship between the two nations. In the new year, the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe will work closely with the Chinese community and friends from all sectors in Zimbabwe to continuously advance the building of a China-Zimbabwe and China-Africa community with a shared future.

Ambassador Zhou performed the lion dance eye-dotting ceremony on stage. The venue was adorned with festive lanterns and decorations, featuring a rich array of Spring Festival cultural experiences and specialty delicacies. Performances by local Chinese and Zimbabwean artists vividly showcased the unique charm of the exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. As Zimbabwe’s first major event marking 2026 as the Year of China-Africa People-to-People Exchanges, the carnival attracted around 50,000 local participants.