An eight-member delegation from China's Gansu Province paid a four-day visit to Zimbabwe and left for South Africa on Monday.

During the visit, the delegation-led by Gansu Province Vice- Governor Feng Jianshe met the Governor and Resident Minister of Mashonaland West Province of Zimbabwe, Nelson Samkange, and toured the Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital and the Chinhoyi University of Technology Hotel built by companies from Gansu Province.

Feng said the tour was aimed at strengthening existing relations in order to explore areas of cooperation for mutual benefit.

He said he would invite more companies from the province to invest in Mashonaland West. The visit follows a similar visit to the Chinese province by a delegation led by Samkange in 2005.

Gansu, like Mashonaland West, is an agricultural hub and the two provinces would benefit from sharing experiences and ideas.

"We hope this visit results in more opportunities for all of us. We hold fairs this time of the year and I would like to invite businesspeople from this province and the country at large to participate so that they can explore business opportunities," he said.

The delegation also toured the scenic but mysterious Chinhoyi Caves and the new Chinhoyi Magistrates' Courts still under construction and expected to be completed later this year.

Samkange said there was more land in Mashonaland West Province to establish joint venture farming initiatives.

He said agriculture in China is highly mechanized and Zimbabwe would like to partner with China in transforming its agriculture through delivery of machinery such as tractors. There is also room to establish partnerships and joint ventures.

In that regard, he said Chinese companies should set up assembly plants for tractors and other machinery in the province as this will not only help in the mechanization of agriculture but will also create employment.

Chinhoyi Mayor Ray Kapesa said that the town offered incentives for investors through concessionary rates and favorable terms.

Source: Xinhua