China's foreign minister heads to Zimbabwe on Africa tour

China’s foreign minister is to arrive in Zimbabwe Saturday as part of a five-nation tour of Africa that seeks to promote Asian giant's ecomic and political interests on continent.

Zimbabwe’s foreign minister Sibusiso Moyo described visit by Wang Yi, one of China’s most powerful political figures, as evidence of “ strategic comprehensive partnership” between Zimbabwe and Asian giant. He told Zimbabwe's state-run media that Wang would pursue China's ecomic interests during visit.

China's foreign minister often makes an African tour at beginning of year to emphasize importance that Beijing places on continent.

Like in much of Africa, China has a strong presence in Zimbabwe, with investments spanning from energy to agriculture, mining and tre in wildlife. With Zimbabwe's ecomy in a downward spiral, some analysts say that Wang will, behind closed doors, urge Zimbabwean leers to improve country's ecomic performance and to hor ir debt repayments to China.

Zimbabwe's longstanding ties with China increased in 2003 when it opted a ‘Look East’ policy after western countries imposed sanctions.

Since n, China has become Zimbabwe’s biggest source of foreign direct investment and has ties to Zimbabwe military, including construction of a military university on outskirts of capital, Harare.

China has also increasingly broened its ties to include construction of a new parliament building estimated to cost more than $100 million. It also provides humanitarian assistance such as donations of rice and or food items as well as technical assistance during natural disasters.

China's growing involvement has been criticized by Zimbabwe's opposition and ors for allegedly exploiting local workers and country's natural resources.

China has invested billions of dollars in major construction projects in Africa such as ros, railways and stiums, for which many countries have accumulated large debts. In return, some African countries have given China access to natural resources, such as minerals.

China has also protected some of Africa's repressive rulers from international sanctions at United Nations. China’s investments often come without demands for safeguards against corruption, waste and environmental dam which has me m attractive to African leers.

China’s outreach to Africa aims to build tre, investment and political ties with a continent often seen as overlooked by U.S. and or Western nations. It has included many African countries in its so-called Belt and Ro Initiative that aims to invest in infrastructure projects to boost tre.

On his current tour through Africa, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang has alrey visited Egypt, where he promised to help country combat extremist violence and grow its ecomy.

Wang also visited geographically strategic Djibouti in troublesome Horn of Africa. Djibouti is site of China’s first overseas military base and home to United States’ only permanent military base in Africa.

In Eritrea he is pledging support for a project to build ros in country that is largely isolated from rest of world.

Wang is also scheduled to visit Burundi where President Pierre Nkurunziza, under pressure for alleged human rights abuses, has previously described China as “a best friend.” Burundi is beneficiary of Chinese assistance in areas such as education and construction of a state house. China is involved in country's energy and agriculture.