President Mugabe (right) and the Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Huang Ping at State House yesterday
Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
The new ambassadors of China and Tanzania yesterday presented their credentials to President Mugabe in separate ceremonies held at State House and pledged to improve ties between Zimbabwe and their respective countries.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and the permanent secretary Ambassador Joey Bimha attended the ceremonies. “We have excellent relations and each day they are being cemented.
“Our relations are like a flower which is blossoming and my duty is to water it to make it flourish,” said Tanzanian ambassador Retired Lieutenant-General Charles Lawrence Makakala. He said he had also delivered a message of gratitude to President Mugabe from President Jakaya Kikwete on his role to have Tanzania’s founding President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere honoured for his contributions to the liberation of Africa.
“It was unfortunate that Africa failed to recognise the role played by Mwalimu and President Kikwete sent me to thank His Excellency President Mugabe for his role in ensuring Africa recognise that role played by Mwalimu,” he said.
Lt Gen Makakala, who is in his first tour of duty as a diplomat, said he looked forward to his tour of duty. “They told me that the diplomatic corps is just like the military, the diplomatic duties and military duties are the same so I look forward to fulfilling my duties here,” he added.
The new Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Huang Ping, also commended the good bilateral relations between Harare and Beijing. He said there was room for improvement.
“We talked a lot about strengthening the relationship. China has good relations with Zimbabwe,” he said. “We talked about a lot of issues we need to cooperate and I believe we can do a lot of things in terms of cooperation in science and technology, education and trade and investment.”
Ambassador Huang was previously posted as Chinese Counsel General at its US embassy and is also in his first posting as an ambassador.