Capital city shows plenty of signs of China’s popularity

While waiting in line at a pizza restaurant in Harare, I was asked by a local resident named Simon how popular Huawei cellphones are in China. He asked as he showed me a new Huawei P8 bought locally, which he said was the “coolest phone” he had ever used.

He then named some Chinese brands that are well known in his country, including the home-appliance maker Hisense, vehicle manufacturer FAW, and Sinoma, a Chinese cement maker that even many Chinese don’t know. He said he wants to see more companies like those open factories in this country so he can find a job.

His words were a sign of the popularity of Chinese commodities in Zimbabwe and the robust trade relations between the two countries, but they also show the desire for industrialization, which has been the hottest topic in this continent during recent years.

However, the government of Zimbabwe has a firm view that before the country can embark on industrialization, it must address the basic infrastructure network as the biggest challenge. As Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa put it, without infrastructure, there can be no meaningful economic takeoff or industrialization.

“For instance, we have good agricultural conditions, but a good harvest will not occur without a good irrigation system,” Chinamasa said.

Thus, President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Zimbabwe is tied with high hopes that more infrastructure projects will be brought in to lay the foundation of the country’s economy.

Two national flags and leader’s portraits were hung along the main roads, and more than 40,000 people, as estimated by a local Chinese business association, were on streets waving flags, dancing and singing to welcome the arriving Chinese president.

Among them, Teneol Machel, a 38-year-old tour leader in Harare, said it’s just like welcoming an old friend returning home. He said he was impressed by the expansion of the Victoria Falls Airport, undertaken by a Chinese company, and he hoped more Chinese tourists would visit and get to know more about his homeland after Xi’s visit.

But for many ordinary Chinese, Zimbabwe still remains a remote country. They probably heard news of the $1 trillion currency, but haven’t realized its beauty and tourism resources. Garden City of Harare and great Victoria Falls still have a long way to go to attract Chinese tourists.