News / National
Zimbabwe rubbish China military base report
11 Jun 2015 at 07:09hrs | Views
DEFENCE Minister Sydney Sekeramayi has slammed the United States of America for cooking up a story alleging China is building a military base in the country.
The issue came up for discussion last week during a hearing on Zimbabwe by the sub-committee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organisations.
A United States panel on Africa was told of China building a military base in eastern Zimbabwe, raising alarm in Washington which is increasingly worried about Beijing's growing influence in Africa.
California Congresswoman Karen Ruth Bass asked Shannon Smith - who had just returned from a visit to Harare - during a hearing on Zimbabwe the following question:
"In recent years Zimbabwe has strengthened trade and military ties with China, including the construction of a Chinese military base in Eastern Zimbabwe. What if any, if you could speak to that, I think there's obviously security implications for the United States. What do we know about that?"
Smith did not provide a direct answer, only commenting that ties between China and Zimbabwe had deepened over the years.
"The countries clearly enjoy a close relationship; China is active in much of Africa as you've seen in many places I know," Smith responded, adding that Chinese investments were mainly in mining.
Congresswoman Bass pressed further, asking who was being employed at the said camp - Chinese nationals or Zimbabweans - to which Smith said, "I couldn't tell you."
Chairperson of the subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organisations Chris Smith told congress that China's growing influence in the world was bad for democracy.
Minister Sekeramayi yesterday rubbished the US Congress Debate.
He said the subject of the debate was a shameless concoction by the US delegation.
"That's utter nonsense. There's no shred of truth in that story," said Sekeramayi.
He said he could not understand why anyone would make up such a story.
"Our partners from the East are not building anything in that part of the country (Eastern Highlands). That's pure lies," said the Minister.
Zanu-PF national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said he could not find words to explain how shocking it was to learn "a whole congress of a so called super power sat to discuss fiction."
"That's all hogwash. Let them say where this base is. We're all interested in seeing it as well," said Khaya Moyo.
He said if the US Congress wished to maintain credibility, it was in their best interests to show the world the purported base.
The US government and its British allies have in recent years been uneasy about the growing alliance between China and Zimbabwe.
Western governments have escalated mudslinging on countries they have shunned and imposed illegal sanctions on, including Zimbabwe, as the countries forged relations with the fast growing super-power from the East. China has made huge infrastructural investments in the countries whose natural resources the West has been plundering.
The issue came up for discussion last week during a hearing on Zimbabwe by the sub-committee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organisations.
A United States panel on Africa was told of China building a military base in eastern Zimbabwe, raising alarm in Washington which is increasingly worried about Beijing's growing influence in Africa.
California Congresswoman Karen Ruth Bass asked Shannon Smith - who had just returned from a visit to Harare - during a hearing on Zimbabwe the following question:
"In recent years Zimbabwe has strengthened trade and military ties with China, including the construction of a Chinese military base in Eastern Zimbabwe. What if any, if you could speak to that, I think there's obviously security implications for the United States. What do we know about that?"
Smith did not provide a direct answer, only commenting that ties between China and Zimbabwe had deepened over the years.
"The countries clearly enjoy a close relationship; China is active in much of Africa as you've seen in many places I know," Smith responded, adding that Chinese investments were mainly in mining.
Congresswoman Bass pressed further, asking who was being employed at the said camp - Chinese nationals or Zimbabweans - to which Smith said, "I couldn't tell you."
Chairperson of the subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organisations Chris Smith told congress that China's growing influence in the world was bad for democracy.
He said the subject of the debate was a shameless concoction by the US delegation.
"That's utter nonsense. There's no shred of truth in that story," said Sekeramayi.
He said he could not understand why anyone would make up such a story.
"Our partners from the East are not building anything in that part of the country (Eastern Highlands). That's pure lies," said the Minister.
Zanu-PF national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said he could not find words to explain how shocking it was to learn "a whole congress of a so called super power sat to discuss fiction."
"That's all hogwash. Let them say where this base is. We're all interested in seeing it as well," said Khaya Moyo.
He said if the US Congress wished to maintain credibility, it was in their best interests to show the world the purported base.
The US government and its British allies have in recent years been uneasy about the growing alliance between China and Zimbabwe.
Western governments have escalated mudslinging on countries they have shunned and imposed illegal sanctions on, including Zimbabwe, as the countries forged relations with the fast growing super-power from the East. China has made huge infrastructural investments in the countries whose natural resources the West has been plundering.
Source - chronicle
