Zimbabwe President to terminate annual leave as Chinese Foreign Minister arrives

Zimbabwe President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is said to terminate his three-week annual leave following the arrival of China's Foreign Minister, Wang Yi.

Wang arrived on Saturday as part of a five-nation tour of Africa that seeks to promote the Asian giant's economic and political interests on the continent.

According to Associated Press, Wang is set to visit a Zimbabwe tobacco farm and meet with President Mnangagwa, who will suspend his three weeks annual leave to meet the Chinese leader.

China’s foreign minister often makes an African tour at the beginning of the year to emphasize the importance that Beijing places on the continent.

China has invested largely in Zimbabwe's economy in areas such as energy, agriculture, mining and trade in wildlife.

Wang will also be hoping to recover some debt after some analyst suggest that he will, in confidence, urge Zimbabwean leaders to improve the country’s economic performance and at the same time ask them to honour their debt repayments to China.

Although, China’s growing involvement has been criticized by Zimbabwe’s opposition and others for allegedly exploiting local workers and the country’s natural resources, the Asians are not deterred as they broadened ties with the Africans by proposing the construction of a new parliament building estimated to cost more than $100 million.

China has become Zimbabwe’s biggest source of foreign direct investment and has ties to the Zimbabwe military, including the construction of a military university on the outskirts of the capital, Harare.

On his current tour through Africa, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang has already visited Egypt, Djibouti, Eritrea and is expected to visit Burundi.