Zimbabwean president witnesses China's leapfrog modernization over 60 years

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who first visited China some six decades ago, said in Beijing on Wednesday that he was astounded to see firsthand how rapidly the country has advanced its modernization during his latest tour of the country.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Mnangagwa arrived in Beijing and attended the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which closed on Friday.

Before attending the summit, he visited the tech hub Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province and several cities in central and east China's Hunan and Jiangsu provinces.

In an exclusive interview with China Central Television (CCTV), he shared his exciting experiences during these trips, commending the eye-popping transformations.

"I have been to China, came here about 61 years ago. In between the 60 years, I've visited China several times. So I [witnessed] firsthand the leap frogging of development and modernization of Chinese cities. If I think of what 'Peking' (Beijing) was 61 years ago and what Beijing is today, it's differences of day and night. But of course I know in my mind, in my vision, what it was 60 years ago. They are marvel at what it is today, which means there was tremendous transformation, tremendous modernization, tremendous industrialization of this country," said the president.

The 2024 FOCAC Summit has produced concrete outcomes, charting a roadmap for China and Africa to work concertedly to pursue modernization.

Mnangagwa said his country will pursue all-round development while keeping its national and cultural hallmarks.

"All of us African countries have different endowments in our respective countries. Let's look at Zimbabwe. From the discussion, three things come out for us in particular. We must continue to make sure that we modernize and mechanize and they keep our status as a food secure country. Number two, we must build and construct infrastructure so that it becomes the backbone of the modernization and industrialization of our country. Part three, we must not forget ourselves, our culture and our education. As we pursue our education, it must be anchored in who are and bring in science, technology and innovation but again on the basis of who we are as we move forward. We should not lose our own characteristics. You say yourselves - we will develop with Chinese characteristics. So the same for us," he said.

Zimbabwean president witnesses China's leapfrog modernization over 60 years

Zimbabwean president witnesses China's leapfrog modernization over 60 years

Zimbabwean president witnesses China's leapfrog modernization over 60 years

Zimbabwean president witnesses China's leapfrog modernization over 60 years

Zimbabwean president witnesses China's leapfrog modernization over 60 years

Zimbabwean president witnesses China's leapfrog modernization over 60 years

Authorities in east China's coastal provinces Zhejiang and Jiangsu have launched emergency evacuation of residents to help mitigate the impact of Typhoon Bebinca -- the 13th typhoon of the year.

In Zhejiang's Pinghu City, communities have started the relocation work. The old town area of Xindai, home to about 1,400 permanent residents, including some 30 percent elderly, has been a focus of evacuation efforts.

Over 50 elderly residents have been evacuated to a temporary courtyard shelter, where they have plenty of space for meals and walking around. The shelter is equipped with folding beds, food, drinking water and medical staff standing by to address any health concerns.

The province also raised its emergency response for typhoon prevention to level II.

In Jiangsu Province, Nantong City has conducted comprehensive safety inspections and organized evacuations in key areas.

Nantong's Rugao Port on the Yangtze River was shutdown on Sunday afternoon.

All workers at the Zhangjiagang-Jingjiang-Rugao Bridge construction site -- located at a river shoal -- are evacuated ahead of the storm attack.

"From the temporary ferry to the Rugao-Zhangjiagang ferry, we have evacuated a total of 428 people. So far, all construction personnel of the Zhangjinggao Bridge within the scope of this construction site have been evacuated to our shelter," said Ding Xiaoxing, chief engineer of Rugao Water Affairs Department.

Authorities in Nantong has evacuated more than 1,400 people and over 200 vessels along the coastal area under its jurisdiction.

Making landfall in Shanghai on Monday morning, Typhoon Bebinca is the most powerful tropical cyclone directly hitting the Chinese financial hub in more than seven decades.

Zhejiang, Jiangsu evacuate residents as Typhoon Bebinca lands in east China