Chinese President praises Zimbabwe

Chinese President Xi Jinping praised Zimbabwe's visionary and strategic choice to become Beijing's "good partner, good friend, good brother" in Africa as he prepared to jet off on his first state visit to Zimbabwe this week.

Xi will be feted by President Robert Mugabe for two days and will then proceed to South Africa for a meeting with President Jacob Zuma and co-chair a two-day China-Africa summit in Johannesburg.

Zhang Ming, one of China's vice Foreign minister, said Xi is set to announce new aid to Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Meanwhile, opposition parties yesterday scoffed at the "much-hyped" two-day State visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing the jaunt as "inconsequential" and unlikely to yield the anticipated boon for Zimbabwe's frail economy.

In separate interviews ahead of the Chinese leader's arrival in Harare tomorrow, the opposition parties said the Asian country was skeptical of Zanu-PF's long unresolved succession issue and would not risk making mega investments for now.

According to government officials, the visit is expected to open up new investment channels, as well as cement the already existing ones between Zimbabwe and China.