Zimbabwean businesses welcome export of more products to China

By Xinhua

HARARE: Zimbabwean businesses welcome the export of more local products to China as the first shipment of Zimbabwean citrus is set to depart for the Asian country in July.

Denford Mutashu, president of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers, told Xinhua in a recent interview that an increase in Zimbabwean products entering the vast Chinese market creates an even playing field in bilateral trade between the two countries.

“Zimbabwe is poised to benefit and especially expand the number of products that we are exporting to China,” Mutashu said.

China is one of Zimbabwe’s top export destinations, ranking as the third-largest importer of Zimbabwean goods in 2022, according to the country’s trade promotion body ZimTrade.

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding on Wednesday said China is committed to expanding imports of agricultural products from Zimbabwe.

“Zimbabwean tobacco and macadamia nuts enjoy wide popularity in China. China is importing Zimbabwean fresh citrus from this July, which will generate considerable foreign exchange income for Zimbabwe and improve the livelihood of Zimbabwean farmers,” Zhou said at a ceremony to hand over a food donation to vulnerable people in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare.

The reciprocal trade relationship between the two countries makes Zimbabwe a competitive player in global trade, said Mutashu. “That is the kind of relationship any country requires, which is also reciprocal, which is a win-win.”

“The trade relationship with China is based on mutual respect for each other’s independence, for each other’s sovereignty, and for each other’s governance,” Mutashu added.

Trade between Zimbabwe and China surged 29.2 percent year on year to a record high of 2.43 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, according to statistics released by the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe.