“We will never be a colony again!” This has been the catch-cry of Zimbabwe‘s President Robert Mugabe throughout his 25-year reign.
But while he rails against perceived imperialist, colonial agendas and denounces anything white-skinned or Western, Mr Mugabe has spent this week in China signing over his bankrupt country’s resources to the Asian economic superpower.
Analysts claim the Chinese are forging a “colonial extractive relationship” with Zimbabwe, which has sold forward more than a year’s worth of gold and tobacco production in exchange for Chinese military hardware and diplomatic support.
Zimbabwe is the world’s fastest shrinking economy and as it looks east for a saviour, China has a keen eye on the southern African nation’s rich platinum deposits.
During a six-day visit to China this week, Mr Mugabe, banned from Western countries including Australia, was warmly greeted by Chinese President Hu Jintao as “an old friend” and given a professorship.
