China-Africa: China donates $10m to boost economy
By Munyaradzi Mutizwa
LUSAKA - A Chinese government official said on Tuesday that China had donated $10-million to Zimbabwe’s unity government, half of it directly into the state coffers, to help boost the country’s troubled economy,
“The Chinese government last week gave our brothers in Zimbabwe five million US dollars in cash and humanitarian assistance amounting to five million dollars,” China’s special representative for African affairs, Liu Guijin told reporters in Zambia’s capital Lusaka.
“We are happy with the efforts in forming a unity government,” he added.
Liu spoke shortly before 18 leading Zimbabwean activists were detained on charges of attempting to overthrow long-time President Robert Mugabe, a move that his unity government partners warned threatened the fledgling power-sharing deal.
Liu said that even in the face of the global economic crisis, as well as the falling commodity prices; the Chinese government would continue to encourage private investors to Africa.
“We are encouraging our people to create more jobs opportunities in Zimbabwe and the rest of the continent,” Liu said.
The unity government, which only took office in February, says it needs more than $8, 5-billion over three years to haul the country out of economic ruin.
(thezimbabwetimes.com)
Tags: Zimbabwe