Captains of industry want Zimbabwe-China trade agreement to cover crucial issues

INDUSTRY leaders want negotiations for a new trade agreement with China to cover crucial issues, including skills and technology transfer, value addition and beneficiation of minerals and agro-processing. These sentiments emerged during a private sector consultation on the Zimbabwe-China trade agreement in Bulawayo yesterday, organised by the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), the country’s most influential industrial lobby. Zimbabwe is negotiating and deepening trade agreements with China, with a focus on expanding trade, enhancing economic cooperation and creating frameworks for tariff reductions.

The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) is leading the consultations with the private sector to develop a national position on a proposed Framework Agreement and a “draft tariff offer” with China. Zimbabwe and China enjoy cordial socio-economic and political relations dating back to the period of Zimbabwe’s struggle for independence from Britain. Last year, the two countries elevated their bilateral relations to an ” all-weather community with a shared future,” strengthening ties across political, economic, and security sectors.

In 2025, Zimbabwe-China trade reached a record US$4,39 billion, with a US$720 million trade surplus in favour of Harare after exporting US$2,56 billion goods (largely tobacco and minerals) and importing US$1,84 billion in machinery and technology. Industrialists said there was a need to consider non-tariff issues, such as sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical trade barriers, which present serious challenges for exports to the Chinese market. CZI trade and research economist Ms Perpetua Muzondo said SPS and TBT issues affect producers of fresh produce, as the use of certain chemicals is inevitable despite being banned in other markets.

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She said, besides fumigation, the Chinese market required suppliers to keep their produce under certain conditions in cold facilities, which may be too expensive given the period that the conditions must be maintained. “Local businesses might view this as an opportunity to address non-tariff barriers that continue to constrain our local businesses from effectively exporting to the Chinese market. “We have some SPS and TBTs that we are facing when we are trying to export,” said Ms Muzondo.

“These are issues which we are hoping for, if we sign this trade agreement, if we negotiate properly, these issues may be addressed. So, the negotiation team, we are hoping that when you are going to negotiate, these are issues that need to be raised so that we can export our agricultural products.” She also called for special consideration of skills and the need for technology transfer by Chinese investors to reduce the number of technical experts they bring into Zimbabwe.

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