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Managing Editor Isaac Waniwa recently in China

Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa could learn from China which witnessed phenomenal growth during the last 40 years largely because of its workers’ work ethics. The country whose economy is the second biggest in the world, is working hard to catch up with the US, the biggest world economy. China’s rapid economic growth is attributed to its people’s hard work and commitment to the development of their country.

Most Chinese workers work for long hours to meet targets and as such the country has witnessed massive development in infrastructure which includes roads, bridges, high rise commercial buildings and blocks of flats to accommodate its people among other development projects. New buildings, both commercial and residential are coming up almost every day in the different cities and towns.

Old buildings are being demolished and replaced with modern buildings while the road network is being expanded to cope with the increasing vehicle population. Cranes illuminate the skies as workers work late into the night in order to meet the set targets.

A group of Zimbabwean journalists who attended the 2018 Seminar on News Media for Zimbabwe organised by Zhejiang Normal University in Jinhua last month and also spent days in the capital Beijing and Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, witnessed the massive construction work in the three towns and the Chinese officials said this was what was happening in almost all the towns in China. In Beijing a new section is being developed to cater for the expanding businesses as well as provide accommodation for the capital’s growing population.

The city which has a population of about 22 million people and about 1 million cars, is battling to provide adequate commercial buildings for businesses as well as residential flats for its people. Most Chinese people are accommodated in flats hence the massive construction of blocks of flats in the various cities and towns.

China is years ahead when it comes to technology compared to most African countries and the rest of the developing world. This has seen China manufacturing most of its requirements as opposed to importing from other countries. The country because of its advanced technology, is able to massively produce products for its consumption as well as the export market.

The advantage of China which has a population of about 1,42 billion people is that it consumes the bulk of its products. Asked what countries like Zimbabwe could do to turnaround their economies, professor Zhu Zhenming who said he was doing a research on African countries and countries from South America, said what is important is to first build strong national institutions.

He said the legislature, the judiciary and the executive must be very strong institutions respected by the people. Most Chinese speak highly of their ruling party, the Communist Party of China and attribute the country’s accelerated economic growth to the party’s policies and programmes.

According to the Chinese, the leadership of CPC has managed to direct where they want the country to go and it is clear to each and every Chinese what the country intends to achieve. It is this shared vision which has seen the Chinese working towards one goal which is to see China becoming an economic giant.

Zimbabwe and the rest of the developing countries might have the resources just like China but might not have the shared vision regarding what the countries intend to achieve. Instead of Zimbabweans proffering solutions to challenges facing the nation, most expend their energies on trashing Government policies and programmes. It is a blame game each time imbibers meet to quaff their favourite beers as opposed to engaging constructively. It is time Zimbabweans stop celebrating failures and instead strive to make Zimbabwe a better country tomorrow.

The Chinese suffered before their economy turned around and during days of controlled economy, their government went to the extent of rationing the food families could consume per given period as part of the austerity measures people had to endure to grow their economy. What we learnt during the three weeks we were in China is that the highly educated Chinese, the ordinary worker, the one selling his or her wares at a flea market, are all hard-working and patriotic. They all respect the leadership and all want to see China developing even further. Crime is very low in China hence people can move freely even at night including women and foreigners.

There are volunteers called helpers that are identified by an armband who assist the stranded and are seen at pedestrian crossings working with traffic police to assist people to cross busy roads. Zimbabwe as already alluded to, could learn from China which is already enjoying the fruits of hard work and honesty.

The salaries in China are not very high but what is surprising is that most Chinese workers seem content with what they are earning probably because they are confident that their earnings will improve as the economy grows. Many Chinese cycle or use bikes to either work or even to universities. In the morning there are long queues of men, women and girls either cycling or using bikes to work or universities.

Three quarters of the parking space at workplaces or universities is occupied by bicycles and bikes. In his presentation, the professor Tian Zhongchu said because of the suffering the Chinese went through, they want to save the little they earn hence they always opt for the cheapest mode of transport.

Many of them only drive when it is very necessary. A lecturer at Communication University of Zhejiang professor Zhang Jie said she cycles when travelling for distances of five kilometres or less. A country can only develop if it is able to save and this should start at family level like is the case in China.

In Zimbabwe a man, his wife and children can use three different cars going to the same church. This is a luxury people can forgo because it is adding to the nation’s misery. Zimbabwe cannot afford to waste anymore time because China has demonstrated that it can be done. Zimbabwe has the potential to be a middle income economy by 2030 and all that is required is to borrow a leaf from the Chinese.