No amount of Chinese propaganda can ever hide the reality of the tick and the cow China and Zimbabwe relationship.
"The China-Africa relationship is deeply rooted in our common quest for liberation, justice and independence. We have never attached any political conditions for assistance to Africa. This is our basic principle," said Guo Shaochun, China’s ambassador to Zimbabwe.
"We, as the Chinese Embassy, highly-appreciate the cordial relations and co-operation that exist between China and Zimbabwe. This relationship dates back to the days of the liberation struggle when China fully supported the national independence of Zimbabwe. Since then, we have come a long way."
There is no denying that China played a pivotal role in the supply of arms and the military training of freedom fighters during Zimbabwe’s fight for independence. There is no such thing as a free lunch, certainly not from the Chinese because ever since Zimbabwe attained her independence in 1980, the country has repaid the debt for the military assistance a thousand fold!
Only the politically naïve would still take this so call Chinese principle to “never attach any political conditions for assistance to Africa.” Yes, the Chinese have never criticized any African government for economic mismanagement or corruption much less for rigging elections and human rights violations. The most obvious reason China has not done so is that the country is guilty of the same crimes and violations itself!
China wants to give the impression that it has bankrolled Zimbabwe’s criminal waste of Zimbabwe’s human and material resources. It never did any such thing! China stopped giving Zimbabwe financial aid and assistance as soon as it was clear Harare was a bad debtor that did not repay its debt, just as the IMF, WB and other western financial institutions had done. Whilst the West made a big song and dance about freezing Zimbabwe out, China did not make any farce.
Any financial assistance China gave to Zimbabwe or any other African country it was China that gained most from the arrangement. There is no denying that China’s economic boom was at Africa’s expense.
"Over the past 70 years, China has grown into the second largest economy in the world, contributing over 30% annually to the global economic growth. China is not growing alone as it is fostering good relations and co-operation with African countries under the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation and the Belt and Road Initiative for the mutual benefit of China and African countries, including Zimbabwe," said ambassador Guo Shaochun.
“740 million people having been lifted out of poverty in China.”
And how many Zimbabweans have been dragged into poverty as a result of four decades of the corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF misrule. Of all the outside nations, China has certainly played the greatest role in helping Zanu PF remain in power for all these years!
“We have never attached any political conditions for assistance to Africa!” Yeah right! How many “mega deals” did China signed with Emmerson Mnangagwa just before Zimbabwe’s last year elections? Deals that have since evaporated like morning mist. Zanu PF blatantly rigged the elections and there is no doubt that China had a hand in all this. China was rewarded soon after the elections, the Chinese company was back in Marange and Chiadzwa to continue where it left off after it was booted out by Robert Mugabe.
The Chinese helped Zimbabwe end the white colonial rule by the British but only to gain new colonial masters in the form of the Chinese or be it the Chinese rule through local black puppets!
“China has had the bitter experience of having its economy controlled by foreign powers and being subjected to unjust treatment, exploitation and oppression,” ambassador Guo Shaochun.
And now China is using that bitter experience to control African countries like Zimbabwe’s economy for its own benefit whilst it armed and bankrolled surrogate local thugs to ruthlessly silence all local dissent.
China’s economic boom is great for China but bad news for us! China’s political arrogance has soared to new heights fuelled by the country’s growing economic influence. There is no doubt that China will not want to lose its influence in a resource rich country like Zimbabwe and will therefore back the surrogate Zanu PF dictatorship to hilt.
In fighting for democratic reforms and free, fair and credible elections, Zimbabweans are not just fighting Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF cronies but the Chinese giant backing the regime. It is not a fair fight and hence the reason we must fight smart.
We must make sure all the democratic reforms are implemented to ensure the elections are free, fair and credible, for example; and stop the folly of participating in flawed and illegal elections which the Chinese and Israeli experts help Zanu PF rig the elections.
You are right, why would China ever demand that it surrogate dictators in Africa should hold free, fair and credible elections, up hold the rule of law or even respect the right to life when the same Chinese leaders do hold free, fair and credible elections, etc. in their own country?
ReplyDeleteIndeed, nothing pleases the Chinese more than to see a country like Zimbabwe fall out with the West over such things as human rights violations. The fall out will place the country firmly in China’s sphere of influence to deal with as it jolly well please.
When Mugabe fell out with the West in the late 1990s he announced his “Look East” policy. The Chinese known he had nowhere else to go and they exploited Zimbabwe like never before! Like China has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in other African countries where China knew those country could easily turn to the West if they ever suspected China was short-changing them. China has not so generous in Zimbabwe.
If there was to be a though audit of China’s economic activities it will not be surprising that for every dollar China has ever spend on Zimbabwe the country has been paid back 100-fold if not more!
I totally agree that the one nation fighting tooth and nail for no regime change in Zimbabwe is China. The Chinese do not give a damn that Zimbabwe has gone to the dogs, they do not care that millions of Zimbabweans now live in abject poverty and that many are dying unnecessarily all because of the decades of corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF misrule. Still, they would spare no expense to make sure Zanu PF remains in power!
Mugabe called the Chinese “all weather friend”, it is ironic that the Chinese had a hand in the dictator’s down fall and now there are reports the Chinese want Mnangagwa out! Zimbabwe would be better off without a friend like China and now that the tick has securely attached itself taking it off will be hard and painful!
Fuel prices have gone down!
ReplyDeleteWhy do I have the feeling this is just a gimmick!
"They are burning and killing fellow Africans yet the real thieves who stole their land and ideological existence are still bossing them in their own Country. Xenophobia is nothing but cowardice. We are Africans where we disagree let's sit and talk," said Moyo in a Twitter posted where he tagged South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema.
ReplyDeleteMillions of Zimbabweans have crossed the border to South Africa at the turn of the millennium seeking better fortunes after the former British colony experienced and economic collapse.
My heart goes to all the victims of the violence and it is worse that many of these people have been forced to leave their own country by economic hardship and/or political violence.
These Zanu PF thugs should just confine their comments to condemning the xenophobia violence. How dare they criticize SA leaders when it is Zanu PF's doing that the country is in this mess. Zanu PF seized the white owned farms and today the country is facing starvation and they want South Africans to follow Zanu PF's example!
Zanu PF Secretary for Administration, Obert Mpofu has called on Zimbabweans- including opposition members – to join the “anti-sanctions” scheduled for next Thursday.
ReplyDelete“We want to make it a national event."
Zanu PF was told "Hold free, fair and credible elections and we will lift the sanctions!" Zanu PF went to blatantly rig the elections. ZEC failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters' roll, 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora were denied the vote, etc. The sanctions will stay!
Zanu PF is calling for demos to protest the sanctions but when people tried to protest against another rigged elections the regime used brute force to silence all dissent.
Zanu PF rigged last year's elections, the regime has no mandate to govern and it must step down to allow the nation to implement the reforms necessary for free, fair and credible elections. The pressure for Zanu PF to step down should have been considerable was it not for the MDC and the rest of the country's opposition who gave these flawed elections some credibility by participating in the elections.
Still the worsening economic meltdown will force Zanu PF to step down. The economic situation is unsustainable the danger of the country sliding into social unrest and worse is real and iminent!
Nigeria’s foreign affairs minister Geoffrey Onyeama has described as sickening and depressing news of the continued burning and looting of Nigerian shops and premises in South Africa.
ReplyDeleteHe said the action by the mindless criminals which was happening under the watch of an ineffective police which was failing to protect foreign nationals would see his government take definitive measures.
An eye for an eye will make the world blind!
What we are witnessing here is just another example of African leaders failing to address issues concerning their people, this is failed leadership!