Zimbabwe and China have pledged to strengthen military cooperation in line with the cordial relations that have been growing over the years.This came out when a Chinese delegation headed by Commander of the Army of Southern Theatre Command of China, Lieutenant General Liu Xiaowua, paid a courtesy call on the Commander Zimbabwe Defence Forces, General Constantino Guvheya Chiwenga at the Defence House in Harare yesterday.

In an interview after the meeting Gen Chiwenga said the Zimbabwe Defence Forces greatly appreciated the close relationship it shared with the People’s Liberation Army of China, adding that the cooperation has seen the country benefiting through military training programmes among other forms of assistance.

Lieut Gen Liu said the visit to Zimbabwe was aimed at taking the relations between the ZDF and the People’s Liberation Army to an even greater level.

Lieut Gen Liu and his delegation also toured the Victoria Falls, the National Defence College and the National Heroes Acre before his departure back to China. The military relations between Zimbabwe and China date back to the era before independence.

Zimbabwe has benefited military technical expertise, defence hardware among other specialist services from China.— ZBC/Herald.