at least they're not Whitemen taking advantage of the poor dumb natives... right mugrubby???
Posted on 04/26/2007 2:01:23 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
HARARE - Desperate for foreign currency, the corrupt Mugabe regime is now dishing out prime agricultural land to the Chinese, having grabbed it from commercial farmers under the pretext of giving land to the people.
The Chinese have also been given mining concessions and future tobacco crops in exchange for foreign currency and farm machinery. But because of rampant corruption and the artificially maintained chasm between the official and parallel rates of exchange, most of the forex will end up in the pockets of Zanu (PF) fatcats, while agriculture, mining and industry collapse. Analysts say Mugabe has mortgaged the nation's future to the Chinese, who are desperate for natural resources to fuel their massive industrial development.
Sources revealed this week that the visit by chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Jia Qinglin followed several months of pleading by Mugabe to the Chinese for assistance during which the Asians insisted on a give-and-take arrangement. The Chinese are reported to have clearly stated that they could only provide loans of assistance to Zimbabwe if they were given tangible things such as mining concessions or tracts of land.
"The Chinese were very particular about getting stakes in mining, and despite Mugabe's initial reluctance to give in on that, they finally got their way by pledging more loans, agricultural equipment as well as assistance with clearing the country's balance of payments," a source privy to the deliberations between the two parties revealed.
It has emerged that Mugabe finally agreed to grant the Chinese mining concessions as well as allocating "several state-owned farms to Chinese companies or representatives".
China will give Zimbabwe a US$58 million financing facility to be used to purchase farming equipment, implements and tools. In return, Zimbabwe will deliver 110 000 tonnes of tobacco to China over two years. Chaos triggered by Mugabe's land reform programme has slashed tobacco output from more than 200 000 tonnes in 2000 to below 60 000 tonnes.
Zimbabwe and China have also signed three separate agreements related to finance, agriculture and education. The Chinese have also been promised stakes or payment through proceeds from Zimbabwe's mining sector in return for their assistance.
"The tragedy of all this is that the Chinese are never going to stand with Zimbabwe when it comes to international issues. If they were serious about helping Zimbabwe, the Chinese president would not have skirted the country on his eight-nation tour of Africa earlier this year," said political analyst John Makumbe.
A disaster.
Time to create a “China in Africa” watch site.
Zimbabwe is one of the few countries in the world where immediate improvement would be effected it the Chinese army swarmed in and conquered the place (North Korea also being on that short list). Let Mugabe’s thugs arrest/torture a single Chinese government employee sent to make use of the land, and it just might happen.
The evil Mugabe is poisoning his Chinese friends with tobacco.
Mugabe should be eliminated.
China has troops in Ethiopia; now they have an anchor in Zimbabwe .... They are going to swipe that continent in 30 years or less.
What use would Africa be to the Chinese? Sibera is far closer to them for minerals.
Mugabe really does behave the way DU thinks Bush behaves.
They are moving into Siberia too. But there’s a strong government there unlike in Zimbabwe.
Two reasons
1) Living space and securing future food supplies.
2) Which Africans have 1000 nuclear missiles pointed at China again?
I would humbly add:
In addition to living space and future food supplies, also have access to any natural resources still available. They may not have access now, but they are willing to be patient, till Mugabe starves off more of his people and squanders more of his assets. Then they can have at it by force or for a small fee.
And not only do any African nations have 1000 missiles pointed at them, but think of the new ranges that the Chinese missiles could have from that geographic location, thus increasing their strike capabilities.
And lastly, if nothing else, people like OBL have found that for a few dollars and guns thrown to ‘rebel fighters’, they can have ample terrorist training ground.
Ah, the magnificent magic of Marxism.
Rhodesia was the breadbasket of Africa, a rich land of astonishing promise.
Zimbabwe is tied for “Hell On Earth” with North Korea.
at least they're not Whitemen taking advantage of the poor dumb natives... right mugrubby???
Mugabe will roast in hell for what he has done to that beautiful country.
There was an old saying during the cold war, “However wins Africa looses the war”, or something to that effect.
That should be "Whoever"
Chinese calling in their chits.
Mugabe has run his country into the ground and now is giving the ground away. An evil and stupid man.
Almost right Ax.
I know this because I was there at the time.
The North Koreans spent a good deal of time holed up in their hotel drunk.
They couldn't, or wouldn't, finish the job.
The Brits had to do it.
Believe me when I say that it was NOT because they were too brutal.
The Gukuruhundi, as it was called, which the Fifth Brigade took to the Ndebele area eliminated any threat from that sector of the population.
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