Zimbabwe: China to Deliver 4 000 Tonnes of Soyabeans

Source from:  The Herald (Harare) 20 September 2007 09/21/2007

ZIMBABWE is expecting a consignment of 4 000 tonnes of soyabeans from China to boost the availability of cooking oil and nutritious soya products. The delivery follows the recent conclusion of food assistance negotiations by the two governments. Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Yuan Nansheng said the consignment was already on its way to Zimbabwe. He said bilateral relations between the two countries have been on a steady growth and that economic co-operation was deepening and expanding. "China has become a major trading partner to Zimbabwe, second only to South Africa. China is also the largest investor in incremental investment to Zimbabwe," he said. The ambassador said China was in turn expected to buy more tobacco this year as compared to last year when it bought 13 200 tonnes. In another development, China has extended a US$200 million buyer's credit to Zimbabwe to help boost the agriculture sector through the purchasing of tractors, agricultural implements and chemicals among other things. Mr Yuan said 150 000 tonnes of fertilizer had already arrived in he country ahead of the 2007/08 agricultural season. He added that a development bank in China had also held discussions with various stakeholders in the country, including the Ministry of Transport and Communications, in an effort to upgrade Victoria Falls Airport among several other development projects. He dispelled rumours that China has reduced aid to Zimbabwe, except humanitarian only, saying all the projects he had outlined were evident that the rumours were unfounded. "The fact is that the Chinese government is offering all sorts of assistance to the Zimbabwean Government and people including loans, grants and food assistance besides humanitarian aid," said Mr Yuan. He said China was also committed to the construction of two primary schools, a hospital and an agriculture technology demonstration centre in Zimbabwe. China was also reaping huge benefits from Zimbabwe, especially, in terms of raw materials. Mr Yuan, however, said the relationship was went beyond buyer and seller, and could therefore not be destroyed by some people's wishful thinking or wild imagination. Enditem