Mr Wang left for China after the meeting.
President Mnangagwa confirmed that they had a fruitful meeting.
“He is very happy that we had the occasion to go over our relations between China and Zimbabwe on all issues and he goes back home satisfied that our relations are on a solid foundation.

“What remains is further consolidation and deepening those relations. We scaled up relations in September 2019 from all-weather friendship between the two countries to a strategic comprehensive partnership. We, as Zimbabwe, are happy with our relations with China,” said President Mnangagwa.

In a statement, issued from the Chinese Embassy in Harare yesterday, Mr Wang said China and Zimbabwe had achieved fruitful results and were facing important opportunities under the guidance of Presidents Xi Jinping and Mnangagwa.

Mr Wang Yi said his discussions with Foreign Affairs and International Trade  Minister Dr. SB Moyo were fruitful and confirmed that consensus was reached on a lot of important issues.

“First, China-Zimbabwe friendship is unbreakable. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Zimbabwe. Over the past 40 years, Sino-Zimbabwe friendship has withstood the test of strong winds and waves and has always been unswerving.

“Among others, the most fundamental experience is mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual support. China supports the efforts of the Zimbabwe people to safeguard its national sovereignty and national dignity, and supports its independent choice of a path to development in line with its national conditions.

“We also appreciate the fact that Zimbabwe has made its relations with China a diplomatic priority, and we thank Zimbabwe for its valuable support in relation to China’s core interests. We are willing to be good friends, good partners and good brothers with Zimbabwe forever.”

Mr Wang said China and Zimbabwe were at an important point of national development and rejuvenation and the two countries had to adhere to the concept of win-win cooperation, continue to carry out good cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, mining and actively expand new growth areas.

“As a good friend of Zimbabwe, we are also willing to actively provide policy advice in accordance with the wishes of the Zimbabwe people, and share the experience of the Chinese side. The joint construction of the “Belt and Road Initiative” and the China-Africa Cooperation Forum are two major platforms for promoting Sino-Zimbabwe cooperation, and will provide an important driving force for Zimbabwe’s economic and social development,” he said.

Mr Wang said China advocated equality among countries and opposed the use of strength over the weak.

Dr SB   Moyo described the meeting with his Chinese counterpart as having been successful.

“We discussed a number of issues ranging from our own political, economic, social, cultural and other matters which are well embedded in our mutual interest and I can tell you that the meeting was very successful and we are looking forward to getting to greater heights between Zimbabwe and China,” he said.

Mr Wang said Zimbabwe had the capacity to come out of the economic challenges it was facing.

“Our two sides need to uphold the win-win cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture and mining and meanwhile explore new areas of growth in our cooperation. The Chinese side understands the difficulties and bottlenecks faced by Zimbabwe, but we trust that

Zimbabwe has the wisdom and capabilities to address these challenges and, as Zimbabwe’s good friend, we are also prepared to provide policy consultations and experiences we had based on Zimbabwe’s will,” he said.

Speaking on the role of China and Zimbabwe he said the two countries have a big role to play by working together, in a world full of uncertainty. Both China and Zimbabwe stand on the right side of history, on the side of equity and justice and on the side of developing countries.

“Both countries believe in the equality of nations irrespective of their size and reject the bullying of the weak. Both of us believe in win-win situations for our countries and reject zero-sum game. Both of us believe in multilateralism and the basic norms upholding international relations and reject unilateralism and bullying practices,” he said.

Mr Wang said he and Minister Moyo discussed issues related to relations between the two countries.

“In recent years, thanks to the joint support and guidance of President XI Jinping and President Mnangagwa, China-Zimbabwe relations have made fruitful results and create important opportunities,” he said.

“I am here with the primary goal to further implement the important agreement between the two Presidents and the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and to further deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Zimbabwe. We had a productive meeting with Minister Moyo here and we reached so many important agreements.

“Over the past four decades, China-Zimbabwe relations have stood big tests and stormy weathers and both sides have stood firmly by this friendship. The most fundamental aspect of that friendship is the mutual respect and support we have given each other all along. China supports Zimbabwe’s resolve to uphold national dignity and we support Zimbabwe’s efforts to independently explore a development path suited to its national conditions. We also appreciate Zimbabwe giving priority to China-Zimbabwe relations in its diplomacy and we also thank Zimbabwe for the invaluable support it has given China on our core interests. We are prepared to always be good friends and good partners with Zimbabwe.”