Photo taken in April 7, 2019 shows the upgrading construction site of Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe. Infrastructural development has become the cornerstone of China-Zimbabwe cooperation with the Asian giant investing billions of U.S. dollars in infrastructural projects in various sectors of the Zimbabwean economy. (Xinhua/Wei Wei)
HARARE, July 5 (Xinhua) -- A Zimbabwean government minister has commended the longstanding relations between China and Zimbabwe, saying that China has contributed a lot to the development of the country.
"China has contributed a lot to the development of Zimbabwe, including the construction of the National Sports Stadium, Kariba South Power Station, the Victoria Falls International Airport and expansion of Hwange 7 and 8, and even our new Parliament building," said Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa during a recent tour of a Chinese tile manufacturing plant.
The minister commended work being done by the Norton-based Chinese tile manufacturer which has already started exporting most of its products.
The firm, Sunny Yi Feng, started making tiles on May 12 and is producing between 30,000 and 35,000 square meters of tiles per day, 70 percent of which are exported to several countries in the Southern Africa Development Community region.
The company, which began putting up structures at its Norton premises toward the end of 2018, now operates three factories that make tiles, print cardboard boxes for packaging the tiles and logistical support, covering up to 75 percent of its capacity and expected to reach full production soon.
An airport worker goes about her work at the new terminal of the Victoria Falls Airport, Zimbabwe, Dec. 11, 2015. The Chinese-contracted airport project, backed by 150 million U.S dollars concessional loan from China Exim Bank, was completed in December. The expansion enables the airport to accommodate most long-haul, wide-body aircraft to Africa's most celebrated waterfalls, the Victoria Falls. (Xinhua/Wang Yue)
"In three months (they started manufacturing), they have started producing for export and it's just wonderful to see products going to South Africa, to Zambia and that product is coming from Zimbabwe," said Mutsvangwa.
"That is a good response to our president's call that 'Zimbabwe is Open for Business.'" she said. "This is the kind of investment that we need that has downstream benefits for our people."
"I am also happy that we have seen our young women, our young mothers being employed and I am happy that they can now look after their children and after their families," Mutsvangwa said.