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ZIMBABWE is set to participate at the third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE), to be held from June 29 to July 2 in Changsha, the capital of central China’s Hunan province.

The Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development has extended an invitation to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to participate at the Expo, which is held biennially.

In the invitation letter to MSMEs, Women Affairs permanent secretary  Moses Mhike said the Expo brings together policymakers and business executives from various countries to explore investment and trade opportunities, create business linkages, and forge partnerships.

“Accordingly, MSMEs are invited to participate at the event,” he said.

Representatives from 50 African countries and eight international organizations have registered to attend the Expo, to be held under the theme: “Common Development for a Shared Future.”

The event will feature more than 40 activities of various kinds, covering green infrastructure, customs and quarantine, medicine and health, agricultural and food products, industrial parks, vocational education and other topics.

A China-Africa trade index will be released for the first time during the event, which will serve as a barometer for businesses conducting economic and trade cooperation with their African partners.

First launched in 2019, CAETE is a major platform for strengthening economic and trade cooperation between China and African countries.

More than 1 000 Chinese and African enterprises, business associations and financial institutions attended the expos held in 2019 and 2021, which have since seen at least 216 cooperation projects and agreements signed with a total investment of US$43,02 billion.

CAETE is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (MOFCOM) and the People’s Government of Hunan province.

It is committed to building a new mechanism for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation; a new platform for implementing economic and trade initiatives under the Forum for China-Africa Co-operation (FOCAC), and a new window for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation at the sub-national level.

The first two sessions held in June 2019 and September 2021 have yielded fruitful results including the signing of 216 projects with a total investment of US$43,02 billion.

-New Ziana