Tinotenda Hove – President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s latest meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing has sparked renewed concerns that Zimbabwe is sliding deeper into Beijing’s grip under the guise of “upgraded relations.”

China has elevated Zimbabwe’s ties from a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to what it calls “All-Weather Relations with a Shared and Common Future,” a label meant to put Harare alongside Russia in Beijing’s global calculations. Critics argue this status does little for ordinary Zimbabweans, who continue to suffer under economic collapse while the ruling elite tightens ties with authoritarian allies.

Mnangagwa last met Xi in 2024, and his latest invitation to Beijing coincides with China’s commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of its victory over fascism. Only two other African leaders—those from Congo-Brazzaville and Egypt—were in attendance, underscoring Beijing’s selective courting of regimes willing to toe its line.

Observers note that while Mnangagwa boasts of “special relations,” Zimbabwe risks trading sovereignty for dependency, as Chinese influence steadily expands across the country’s economy, infrastructure, and natural resources.