The Sunday News
Midlands Correspondent
CHINA has praised Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his leadership that has seen the successful implementation of the Command Agriculture Programme which resulted in a bumper harvest.
Speaking at the Midlands Show yesterday, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Huang Ping said VP Mnangagwa had successfully spearheaded the country’s agricultural reform programme which has seen the country surpassing its target yield.
He said VP Mnangagwa has remained instrumental in the cordial China-Zimbabwe relations that the two countries have enjoyed since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980.
“I would like to avail this opportunity to extend my appreciation to Honourable Vice-President (Emmerson) Mnangagwa for inviting me to address as the Guest of Honour and for his long-time support for China-Zimbabwe relations. We are glad to see that under his strong leadership, Command Agriculture Scheme, which is the brainchild of the First Lady, Her Excellency, (Dr) Grace Mugabe, has achieved huge success and yielded a bumper harvest this year, putting Zimbabwean economy on the right trajectory of attaining the growth target on 3,7 percent. We applaud that achievement and we hope that Zimbabwe will continue such sound momentum in the next season,” he said.
Ambassador Huang said China and Zimbabwe enjoy a high degree of political mutual trust and strong basis of traditional all-weather friendship dating back to the time of the liberation struggle.
“During the liberation struggle of Zimbabwe the Chinese people steadfastly stood behind the Zimbabwean people as comrades in arms. In the political arena, China and Zimbabwe have all along maintained sound co-operation and co-ordination in international and regional affairs. We Chinese people will always cherish and appreciate Zimbabwe’s staunch support for us.
President Mugabe paid a successful State visit to China. The two sides agreed to be good friends, good partners and good brothers who treat each other as equals and support each other for win-win co-operation and common development.”
He said China has remained committed to honouring its obligations espoused in the 10 co-operative documents that the two countries signed during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s State visit to Zimbabwe in 2015.
“Our two nations signed 10 co-operative documents including donation of a new Parliament building, a pharmaceutical warehouse, 20 000 tonnes of rice, 10 000 tonnes of fertiliser, the financing for the TelOne Backbone Network Power Station and handover of wildlife protection equipment among other things. We are hoping that the Kariba Dam Electricity project will be completed early next year. We are also looking forward to completing the TelOne project soon and the expansion of Hwange power to commence soon,” he said.
Meanwhile, VP Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe had remained committed to ensuring food security and nutrition in the country.
“To demonstrate its commitment to food security and nutrition, the Government has already unveiled Command Maize, Command Wheat, Command Livestock among other programmes at a cost of $334 million for the 2017/18 agricultural season. The presidential Inputs Scheme will compliment this effort with $153 million. Cotton will also be supported with $ 52.9 million and $7.1 million will go to oil seed crops such as soya beans,” he said during a cocktail to welcome exhibitors on Friday evening.
