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arrangement.
This follows a meeting between Harare Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda and his counterpart Mr Wan Qingliang last November.
Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong Province.
The city is the provincial centre of politics, industry and commerce, science and technology, education and culture. It is located on the northern edge of the Pearl River Delta adjacent to Hong Kong, Macao and the South China Sea.
The city is regarded as the South Gateway to China and widely considered as the regional centre and hub of communication of South China.
Guangzhou municipality director-general, Mr Li Ming, wrote to Mr Masunda on March 1 making the request.
“To further strengthen the exchanges and co-operation between our two cities, to promote mutual understanding and friendship, we propose that Harare and Guangzhou establish sister-city relationship. We believe that both cities will benefit from each other’s complementary advantages and achieve greater success when the two cities establish the sister-city ties,” said Mr Ming.
Yesterday, Mr Masunda said, “I am very excited about the business opportunities that will inevitably accrue to not only the City of Harare, but to the whole of Zimbabwe.
“Guangzhou’s economy is the third largest in China and naturally such a partnership is beneficial to us.”
The two mayors met at the third World Congress of United Cities and Local Governments in Barcelona in November last year at which both were elected UCLG co-presidents.
Guangzhou, established some 2 200 years ago, has a population of 10 million.
The city has signed sister-city arrangements with 22 cities.
Harare will become the second African city after Durban of South Africa to twin with Guangzhou.
Zimbabwe and China enjoy very good relations founded on the principle of mutual respect and development.
Diplomatic relations between China and Zimbabwe were established on April 18, 1980.
Prior to that, China had given technical, financial and moral support to Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.