US embassy cable - 04HARARE501

UNCLAS HARARE 000501 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AF, CH, EAID, PHUM, PREF, PREL, ZI 
SUBJECT: CHINESE ASSISTANCE TO ZIMBABWE 
 
REF: SECSTATE 55006 
 
 1. (U) On March 22, Poloff met with Shaohua Duan, Third 
Secretary (Economic and Commercial) of the Embassy of the 
 
SIPDIS 
People's Republic of China to discuss Chinese humanitarian 
assistance to Zimbabwe.  Duan, who arrived in July 2002, told 
Poloff that Chinese assistance was limited by China's own 
developing nation status and not the political and economic 
crises afflicting Zimbabwe.  In 2002, China donated 4500 MT 
of maize and pledged US$500,000 cash for food purchases to 
Zimbabwe after the UN appeal.  Duan also indicated that China 
provided interest free loans for Chinese-Zimbabwe joint 
venture projects.  He mentioned Zimbabwe Iron and Steel 
Company as one which has received a commercial credit of 
US$35 million.  Duan also indicated that China provides 
assistance on a smaller scale (e.g., a few computers or 
Z$100,000) in response to individual Government ministry or 
company requests for money and assistance.  China also 
provides technical courses on topics such as agricultural 
techniques, computer software, and aquaculture for which the 
Chinese government provides room and board in China for 
selected participants.  Overall China-Zimbabwe trade was 
US$190 million in 2003. 
 
2.  (SBU) China's modest engagement here is magnified by the 
GOZ, which publicly counts China as one of its most important 
friends in the global community.  China's special position 
here has historical roots in China's support of ZANU-PF's 
Mozambique-based insurgency before independence (the USSR 
supported rival ZANU's Zambia-based insurgency).  In 
trumpeting the purported success of the GOZ's "Look East" 
foreign policy, the official media frequently showcases 
evidence of Chinese-Zimbabwean fraternity.  Chinese are 
uniformly portrayed as caring for the welfare of Zimbabweans 
and in solidarity with Zimbabwe against neo-colonial 
imperialist aggressors.  A recent Chinese-hosted social event 
attracting an array of cabinet members and prominent ruling 
party officials testified to the importance attached by the 
GOZ to the bilateral relationship. 
 
3.  (SBU) At the root of Zimbabwe's humanitarian and economic 
crises is a political crisis.  Presumably China will only be 
able to realize any advantage from its inside track with 
Zimbabwe if Zimbabwe's economic implosion is arrested and 
international confidence is restored -- circumstances that 
hinge on resolution of the country's political crisis. 
Accordingly, to the extent that Zimbabwe is addressed at the 
U.S. China Humanitarian Assistance Dialogue next month, it 
may be useful to urge China to use its influence quietly to 
nudge the GOZ toward inter-party dialogue with the opposition 
-- a first step toward national reconstruction that would be 
in U.S. and Chinese interests. 
SULLIVAN