China has reiterated its commitment to boosting Zimbabwe’s education and skills sector, with Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe H.E. Zhou Ding last week outlining a vision for deeper cooperation in human capital development.
His back-to-back engagements in Harare and Bulawayo underscored education as a key pillar in the 45-year-old diplomatic partnership between the two countries.
On August 8, Ambassador Zhou addressed more than 5,000 attendees at Harare Polytechnic’s 2025 graduation ceremony, urging graduates to channel their knowledge towards Zimbabwe’s prosperity while fostering stronger bilateral friendship.
He commended the institution’s partnerships with Chinese universities and corporations such as Huayou Cobalt and Xinganglian Holding Group, reaffirming Beijing’s commitment to empowering youth and advancing mutually beneficial cooperation.
A week earlier, on July 31 in Bulawayo, Zhou delivered the keynote address at Zimbabwe’s Scholastica Conference 2025 under the theme ‘Fostering Innovation and Talent Competitiveness: Lessons from China’s Education and Industrial Transformation’.
He outlined China’s modernization journey and shared lessons on aligning education with industrial growth.
He also stressed China’s ongoing support for Zimbabwe’s infrastructure, industry, and talent cultivation, framing education as the engine of national transformation.
Educational cooperation between the two nations has grown steadily over decades, with initiatives including jointly built schools, university facilities, and government scholarships.
Beyond formal education, more than 6,000 Zimbabwean professionals have acquired advanced skills through Chinese exchange programmes, while private-sector partnerships have created tens of thousands of skilled jobs and facilitated technology transfer.
“From Vision 2030 to Heritage-Based Education 5.0,” Zhou said, “China remains your unwavering partner.”
As graduates left Harare Polytechnic armed with skills shaped by Zimbabwe-China collaborations, the events of the past week reflected a shared journey toward knowledge-driven development – one where education, industry, and international partnership are tightly woven together.
New Ziana
