Xi says trade ties will improve, with priority of modernizing agriculture and the mining sector

The economy and wildlife protection were the highlights of President Xi Jinping's first visit to Zimbabwe. Xi said China is ready to help Zimbabwe optimize its economy and will introduce more Chinese investors.

After their meeting on Dec 1, the two presidents witnessed the signing of a bilateral agreement on economic and technological cooperation.

The pact was inked at a time when China has become a major trading partner of Zimbabwe and its largest source of foreign investment. Bilateral trade reached $1.24 billion last year, a year-on-year increase of 12.7 percent.

Other deals covered such fields as infrastructure construction, production capacity, investment and financing, and wildlife protection.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe warmly welcomed Xi to the talks and said, "China is Zimbabwe's all-weather friend".

Mugabe said his country hopes to learn from China's experience in socioeconomic development, receive more assistance from China and expand bilateral cooperation in such areas as agriculture, industry and infrastructure.

Xi said China will enhance economic and trade ties between the two countries in production, processing and investment, while encouraging more Chinese companies to invest in Zimbabwe with a priority on modernizing agriculture, mining and manufacturing.

Chinese companies also will be encouraged to invest in and operate businesses in the power sector, telecommunications, transportation and other basic infrastructure sectors, as well as to innovate on means of funding, the Chinese president said.

Yao Guimei, an expert on China-Africa economic cooperation at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, says China has given "robust support" to the economic growth of Zimbabwe. "China wins the market and resources in return, and the two sides have achieved mutual benefits," Yao says.

Liu Guijin, a former special representative of the Chinese government for African affairs, says because this was Xi's first visit to Zimbabwe, it was of "extraordinary significance". "Zimbabwe is an old friend of China's, and it has offered consistent, firm support to China in regard to major issues," Liu says.

Xi also said China is willing to help other African countries with development, and he expressed optimism about the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit in Johannesburg on Dec 4 and 5.

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Li Lianxing contributed to this story.