The Sunday Mail
Kuda Bwititi
Political Editor
THE excellent bilateral relations between Zimbabwe and China are rooted in the cooperation of the two countries’ governing parties — ZANU PF and the Communist Party of China (CPC).
These ties have existed for decades.
Founding CPC chairperson Mao Zedong established a liberation philosophy that saw China support liberation movements around the world, including in Zimbabwe.
In particular, the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU)’s military wing, ZANLA (Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army), received support from China.
In prosecuting the war, liberation fighters also espoused some of the Maoist teachings and philosophies.
For example, they viewed the masses as the “water” in which they, as “fish”, thrived.
China’s support in the attainment of Zimbabwe’s independence cannot be overemphasised.
ZANU PF and the CPC continue to cooperate.
Recently, Zimbabwe received a delegation of high-level CPC officials, led by Cde Jiang Xinzhi, vice chairperson of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
Cde Jiang, also deputy head of the Organisation Department of the CPC’s Central Committee, met President Mnangagwa, the First Secretary of ZANU PF, before interacting with the party, led by chairperson Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri.
During his meeting with President Mnangagwa, Cde Jiang said under the strategic guidance of the leadership of both countries, China-Zimbabwe relations have become a model of China-Africa and South-South cooperation.
He also revealed that the CPC stands ready to strengthen high-level exchanges with ZANU PF.
On the other hand, President Mnangagwa thanked China for supporting Zimbabwe’s national liberation and development.
He also emphasised Zimbabwe’s willingness to strengthen inter-party exchanges and practical cooperation in various fields.
Interestingly, President Mnangagwa was among the earliest beneficiaries of China’s support for the liberation struggle and received training in Nanjing in 1961.
He thus remains a link to the foundational past and future relations of the two sides.
Significance
The visit by Cde Jiang was significant in that it reaffirmed strong bonds of friendship between the two liberation parties, CPC and ZANU PF.
These relations have grown deeper with each passing year and are a part of growth nodes towards a new international order.
In July 2022, Zimbabwe received yet another important visit from China when the member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, Cde Yang Jiechi, came to Harare.
Cde Yang conveyed the support and goodwill of China and CPC General Secretary President Xi Jinping and revealed that China was ready to strengthen further all-round exchanges between the two parties, Governments, militaries and peoples, and conduct in-depth exchanges of governance experience with Zimbabwe.
Further, he stated that China was ready to provide more support for Zimbabwe’s economic and social development, as well as cooperation in light of global developments, including fully coordinating its position with Zimbabwe on multilateral affairs.
These two visits by high-ranking party officials from China are significant in that they attest to the strong political base between the two countries, which is the reason good relations and friendship between the two sides will continue to grow because they are anchored in mutual respect, shared principles, understanding and a shared worldview.
Further, the visits cement President Xi’s commitment to building lasting relations with its brotherly liberation movements across the world, including in Africa.
Exactly a year ago, President Xi hosted the CPC In Dialogue with World Political Parties High-level Meeting in Beijing and delivered a keynote speech titled “Join Hands on the Path Towards Modernisation”.
During the address, he stressed that the CPC is committed to strengthening exchanges and cooperation with other political parties to pursue the just cause together.
He also said CPC is ready to deepen interactions with political parties and organisations in other countries to expand the convergence of ideas and interests.
He called on all to leverage on the strength of a new type of party-to-party relations for the building of a new form of international relations.
The CPC, he said, stands ready to share governance experience with political parties and organisations of other countries.
Thus, said President Xi, the CPC will strive to provide new opportunities for world development, add new impetus to humanity’s exploration of paths towards modernisation and make new contributions to the theory and practice of humanity’s modernisation.
The visit by Cde Jiang is a testament to the sincerity of the CPC.
There is a healthy relationship between the two countries’ ruling parties, which informs national and State policies.
The continued friendship between China and ruling parties in Africa, such as Zimbabwe’s ZANU PF, South Africa’s ANC, Namibia’s Swapo and Mozambique’s Frelimo, are therefore key building blocks of strong cooperation in the Global South.
Way forward
ZANU PF and CPC should forge ahead and deepen their relations, which do inform national and State-level cooperation, as well as multilateral engagement.
The relationship must be continuously renewed and energised.
There is thus a need for strong measures, matrices and frameworks to ensure the mainstreaming of youth, as well as women, to participate in party-level interactions.
At the same time, the CPC, which celebrated its centenary three years ago, should assist liberation parties on the continent through capacity-building at organisational and State levels.
Many writings have been dedicated to what lessons can be learned from the CPC, and they include directions on internal party organisation and discipline, cadre development and deployment, the party’s supremacy over Government and the military, and zero tolerance towards corruption, among others.
In essence, parties such as ZANU PF could learn a lot from the CPC, both in theory and practice, to ensure their own longevity and progressiveness.
At the same time, there is an emphasis on mutual learning and sharing experiences, meaning that parties such as ZANU PF can share lessons and approaches with their Chinese counterparts.
The varied backgrounds and experiences will enrich the exchanges and possibly lead to the building of new theories on governance.
The visit by Cde Jiang, when seen from various angles, illuminates the strength, potential and imperative for the cooperation of liberation parties such as ZANU PF with China, which lends a strong base for alignment with global political issues.
