Zimbabwe’s President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has just concluded his visit to China, his first trip outside Africa, since assuming power last November. At the State banquet in his honour in Beijing, President Mnangagwa thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping for his political support and pledged to strengthen ties with China in the months and years ahead.
The two leaders met last Tuesday at the Great Hall of the People, a place that is meant to depict the popularity of Chinese government policies and programs.
President Xi described Mr. Mnangagwa as “an old friend of China” and thanked him for his personal interest in developing ties between the two countries.
The trip afforded President Mnangagwa the chance to create fresh impressions after Mugabe’s government, which had maintained warm relations with Beijing, was accused of widespread corruption.
Some of Mugabe’s ill-gotten wealth was reported to have gone through China, which became increasingly enmeshed with Zimbabwe’s government and economy forcing some Western nations to withdraw over human rights concerns and mismanagement of the once-prosperous country.
