Western tourists gone, Zimbabwe banks on China

[dArKeR]

AFP , HARARE, ZIMBABWE
Thursday, Jun 17, 2004,Page 7

Zimbabwe has launched a campaign to attract tourists from China and other Asian countries, planning promotional tours in Asia and training courses in language and even Chinese cooking here.

Zimbabwe's tourism industry, once a major source of hard currency earnings, is shrinking as travelers from Australia and Europe, in particular from former colonial ruler Britain, are staying away from the country.

As part of the shift to the east, Tourism Minister Francis Nhema traveled to China over the weekend to sign an agreement with Beijing granting Zimbabwe approved destination status which the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) says should "open the floodgates for Chinese visitors."

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/06/17/2003175419

[Liberal Classic]

1. I've read in a number of places that

China is seeking to increase its influence in Africa, and their sale of fighter jets to Zimbabwe is just one example.

[bemildred]

2. There is a good deal of this bilateral deal making

going on between 2nd and 3rd world countries under the radar.
China, India, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, to name a few, all
bear watching in this regard. They are out there trying to arrange
to meet their needs independent of Western economic interests.
It is one of the more significant trends in political affairs, IMHO.

[Liberal Classic]

3. Certianly this is nothing new

Though it is significant that China is trying to increase its sphere of influence beyond the eastern pacific rim by filling the void left by the Soviets. This is not to say that the Russian Federation does not have influence, just noting that China seems to be eager to take their place.