West treats Zimbabwe unfairly, says China

The reciprocal State visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping last year was meant to reassure Zimbabwe of the Asian country's readiness to assist it, an official has said.

Speaking to African journalists on a 10-month study under the China Africa Press Centre on Tuesday, Chinese director-general of the Department of African Affairs Lin Songtian said Zimbabwe was being treated unfairly by the West.

Lin said the West started labelling President Mugabe a dictator after he embarked on land reform, which sought to promote equality.

China signed mega deals with Zimbabwe worth billions of dollars in different sectors when President Mugabe visited the Asian country in 2014. More deals were signed during President Xi's reciprocal State visit last year.