Monica Mutsvangwa, Zimbabwe's minister of women affairs, community, small and medium enterprises development, speaks with Xinhua in Harare, Zimbabwe, April 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Tafara Mugwara)

Ties between Zimbabwe and China continue to deepen 45 years after diplomatic relations were established, said Monica Mutsvangwa, Zimbabwe's minister of women affairs, community, small and medium enterprises development.

Speaking to Xinhua during a recent interview in Harare, the country's capital, Mutsvangwa said the enduring friendship between the two sides has yielded positive results in Zimbabwe's social and economic development.

"China's relationship (with Zimbabwe) didn't start at independence, it started well before then," she said. "So, the relationship is deep. At independence, China was one of the first countries where Zimbabwe established the embassy."

Since establishing diplomatic ties in 1980, Mutsvangwa said, the relationship between the two countries has grown from strength to strength.

"What we are actually promoting now is to make sure that we grow it to another level economically. There are a lot of minerals that we do have which China may not have. We have got some of the best soils for growing tobacco," she noted, adding that the cooperation in various sectors continues to flourish.

Mutsvangwa, who recently led a delegation of 15 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from Zimbabwe on a tour in China, said the visit provided a valuable platform for local SMEs to gain insights into China's best practices in women's empowerment, trade, investment, and entrepreneurship development.

She said the hospitality of the Chinese people made her feel at home, bringing back memories of the early 2000s, when her husband, Chris Mutsvangwa, was serving as Zimbabwe's ambassador to China.

During this year's trip, the delegation held fruitful discussions with Chinese entrepreneurs in cities, including Yiwu and Huzhou in Zhejiang Province, and gained insights on development models of SMEs in China, Mutsvangwa told Xinhua.

Besides, she said, China's achievements in rural revitalization and green development have deeply impressed her.

"When we went to this village, which has been revitalized, it was amazing to see that the standards of living of all the people in that area in Zhejiang Province have been lifted. They have got good facilities and services. That is a village which is so proud of their past, and they are so proud of where they are today," said Mutsvangwa.

On drawing valuable lessons from China in industrializing Zimbabwe's economy, Mutsvangwa said China provides a source of inspiration in growing the domestic industry, particularly transitioning from primary industries to adding value to local resources.

"China is the workshop of all products in the world. That's the truth. And so, if we are producing, we really need to learn more from them, like how we can add value to our minerals, and how we can beneficiate our minerals," she said.

As ties grow, Mutsvangwa said, there is a need to further increase the connectivity between China and Zimbabwe. "We want to go further and make sure that there's access between the two countries in terms of air flights. We want our people to know each other. We want our people to work with each other."

Mutsvangwa added that investments by Chinese companies in critical sectors such as power generation, mining, and the iron and steel industry have benefited Zimbabwe's SMEs through the creation of downstream industries.

"We have seen a lot of private companies from China investing in Zimbabwe, and that is actually benefiting our SMEs. There are downstream benefits," she said.

Acknowledging the vital role that China has played in Zimbabwe's infrastructural development, Mutsvangwa said the development of critical infrastructure has advanced the well-being of Zimbabweans.

To mitigate the effects of climate change, she said, Chinese companies have been working with Zimbabwe to build irrigation facilities.

"The government of Zimbabwe has been really building infrastructure in dams, and we have seen a lot of Chinese companies coming on board in terms of the irrigation technology to make sure that if we build the dams, there is need to make sure that there is conveyance of water to the fields," Mutsvangwa said. "This country is a very fertile land but we are not receiving enough rains, or sometimes the rains come late, so these are issues which we are working together with a lot of Chinese companies and the Chinese government."

The Zimbabwean government also encourages Chinese companies to invest in renewable energy, given the abundance of sunshine in the country, she said.

Mutsvangwa called on Chinese companies to continue to invest in Zimbabwe, saying that the country's central location within the southern African region provides Chinese investors with easy access to the huge regional market.

"This is a good relationship. Let's deepen it, and let's continue it for the good of our two peoples," she added.