China has invested US$10 billion in Zim, says Ambassador Zhou
by Staff Reporter · The Zimbabwe Mail
CHINA has invested approximately US$10 billion in Zimbabwe over the years, making it the country’s largest source of foreign investment, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding has revealed.
Speaking as Guest of Honour at the 2026 Zimbabwe Business Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Awards Presentation in Harare last week, Ambassador Zhou outlined the scale and depth of the economic partnership between the two nations, pointing to major projects and record trade figures that are sustaining one million local jobs.
“For many years, China has been Zimbabwe’s largest source of foreign investment, with total investment by Chinese enterprises reaching approximately 10 billion US dollars,” Ambassador Zhou told an audience of business leaders, innovators, and visionaries.
He added that bilateral trade hit a record high of US$4.4 billion in 2025, describing the relationship as one that “currently sustains one million jobs in Zimbabwe and contributes hundreds of millions of US dollars in tax revenue each year.”
The ambassador cited landmark Chinese-aided and Chinese-invested projects across the country, from energy infrastructure to technology and transport.
“Numerous landmark China-aided projects — from the Kariba South and Hwange Power Stations to the Robert Mugabe and Victoria Falls Airports, and from the High Performance Computing Centre to the NetOne National Mobile Broadband Project — have injected strong momentum into Zimbabwe’s economic progress,” he said.
He also highlighted major Chinese-invested projects in lithium processing, steel, cement, and solar energy, noting that these are delivering “tangible benefits: they create jobs, increase fiscal revenues, and actively promote technology transfer and skills training.”
Ambassador Zhou said the cooperation between Harare and Beijing is rooted in a historic friendship forged during Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle, when China provided military training, material assistance, and diplomatic support.“Today, this bond has grown even stronger as we work together to pursue common prosperity,” he said.
Beyond large-scale investments, the ambassador noted that affordable Chinese agricultural machinery, fertilisers, building materials, home appliances, and consumer goods are widely available across Zimbabwe. Advanced Chinese agricultural technologies — including juncao grass cultivation and high-yield maize cultivation — have greatly boosted local grain production, safeguarding food security for countless families.
“Tonight’s ceremony, in many ways, is a vivid testament to the strong, multifaceted, and high-quality cooperation between China and Zimbabwe — cooperation that empowers entrepreneurs and propels development,” Ambassador Zhou said.
He congratulated the 11 business leaders inducted into the 2026 Zimbabwe Business Hall of Fame, including eight Hall of Famers and three Young Champions, describing them as embodiments of the vision that “the highest value of a business lies in aligning with national development and serving the well-being of the people.”
Looking ahead, the ambassador expressed confidence that cooperation between the two nations will only grow stronger, “even amid the uncertainties of the evolving global landscape.” – Herald