Zimbabwe borrows millions from China

The new Zimbabwean government borrows millions from China.

The government wants to show that it is working on reforming the economy, said Minister Patrick Chinamasa (Finance). That reformist will also be reflected in the new state budget, he promised.

The minister acknowledged that his country had not repaid previous Chinese loans, but that does not appear to prevent Beijing from putting money back on the table. 'The Chinese government understands our economic situation,' said Chinamasa, who pointed to international sanctions against his country.

The minister signed a total of three agreements with the Chinese ambassador in his country. China is also making money available for a new parliament building and expanding a center with computers at the University of Zimbabwe. This involved more than 51 million euros.