President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe wrapped up a six-day trip to China on Friday and headed home with new trade and technology agreements - and a paltry $6 million dollars in financial aid for his trouble. That leaves South Africa as his main hope for an economic bailout package, increasing Pretoria's leverage to exact various reforms.
But China’s steadily increasing influence in Zimbabwe – and in other African countries – is not considered desirable by U.S. administration officials and lawmakers.
Reorter Ndimyake Mwakalyele of VOA’s Studio 7 for Zimbabwe reports from Capitol Hill on the concern among U.S. foreign policy officials that China is increasing its economic advantage and political influence across the continent.
As President Mugabe ended his pilgrimage to Beijing, Zimbabwean émigrés in London demonstrated outside the Chinese embassy against Beijing’s support of his rule.
As correspondent Sandra Nyaira reports for VOA’s Studio 7 for Zimbabwe, some demonstrators accused China of plundering Zimbabwe’s mineral resources.
More reports from VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe...