STORY: Chinese investments boost Zimbabwe's infrastructure development: Zimbabwean official
SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 21, 2023
DATELINE: Dec. 23, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:23
LOCATION: Harare
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the China-funded infrastructure in Zimbabwe
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): CHRISTOPHER MUTSVANGWA, Zimbabwe's Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SIMBARASHE MUMBENGEGWI, Secretary for External Relations, ZANU PF

STORYLINE:

The year 2023 witnessed significant milestones in China-Zimbabwe economic engagement, as several key infrastructure development projects funded by China were completed.

Senior Zimbabwean officials have said that investments from China have played a significant role in infrastructure development in Zimbabwe.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): CHRISTOPHER MUTSVANGWA, Zimbabwe's Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle
"2023 has been a seminal year in terms of Zimbabwe-China relations. It is really a breakaway year with infrastructure investments supported by the Chinese soft loans, or concessional loan division, to make Zimbabwe offset the challenges which it has been facing, particularly in the energy sector.
The arrival of these concessional loans supported thermal power projects. It's a shot in the arm to the Zimbabwean economy."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SIMBARASHE MUMBENGEGWI, Secretary for External Relations, ZANU PF
"The number of projects that China has spearheaded is endless. In the power sector, we have got Hwange seven and eight. We have got our brand new airport in the transport sector, the RG Mugabe Airport, Victoria Falls Airport. We have got that germ of a national monument, I should say, our new parliament."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Harare.
(XHTV)