The announcement to ship the 5,000 metric tons of food aid to Zimbabwe was made by China’s deputy ambassador to Zimbabwe. The deputy ambassador added that both China and Zimbabwe wanted to increase trade to $500 Million in 2008.
More than three million people in Zimbabwe depend on food aid from the United Nations. That is considered to be one-fourth of the country’s population. According to the United Nations World Food Programme, a poor harvest and the bad economic situation would mean that hundreds of thousands were running out of food.
The presence of China has expanded in southern Africa.
Ma Dayun, the Deputy Chinese ambassador said that the food aid will soon arrive to Zimbabwe. This was at a ceremony where 97 Chinese trucks were fulfilling an order from Zimbabwe’s government.
“The Chinese people will be an equal, sincere and reliable friend… of the Zimbabwean people,” she said.
As the Western nations enforced strict sanctions against President Robert Mugabe’s government, China has expanded the relationship with the country. Zimbabwe suffers from the world’s highest rate of inflation, mass unemployment, along with shortages of fuel and basic goods.
Both the United States and European Union accuse of Mr. Mugabe of ruining Zimbabwe’s economy. Zimbabwe accuses them both of trying to overthrow the government.
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