Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Zimbabwe

(1 Dec 2015) Chinese President, Xi Jinping, arrived on Tuesday for his first state visit to Zimbabwe, the second ever by a Chinese President.
Zimbabwe's President, Robert Mugabe, who was at the airport to welcome Xi, was quoted by Zimbabwean state media as saying they will discuss "some of the projects and programmes we want China to assist us in undertaking."
Xi was also welcomed by a military guard of honour at the airport, followed by a parade featuring music and dancing.
China pumped 600 million US dollars into Zimbabwe in 2013, making it the biggest foreign investor with interests ranging from gold, diamond and platinum mining to tobacco, nickel, chrome, construction, energy and telecommunications, according to Chinese ambassador Huang Ping.
Zimbabwe's economy is battered by mass company closures, high unemployment, low liquidity and foreign direct investment and food shortages.
The government has been struggling to raise money to pay its workers, often shifting pay dates.
Over two-thirds of Zimbabweans survive on informal trade, according to the African Development Bank.
Xi travels to South Africa from Zimbabwe where he will be from Wednesday through to Saturday on his second state visit to that country.

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