What's on Mnangagwa's agenda for his visit to China?

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Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to start his five-day state visit to China from Monday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

This is Mnangagwa's first state visit outside of Africa since he took over from former president Robert Mugabe in November.

What's on the agenda for his China visit?

In the past few months, Mnangagwa has intensified bilateral and economic cooperation with neighboring countries, including South Africa, Angola, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana, as his new administration intensifies re-engagement efforts with other countries to rebuild the economy.

He said this is "an important step in building a new, prosperous and democratic Zimbabwe," and the nation is "open for business" at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos in January.

Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa attends the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, eastern Switzerland, Jan. 24, 2018. /VCG Photo

During his visit to Namibia in January, Mnangagwa said a visit to China is set for "working out more areas of cooperation." According to his office, this visit is expected to be an effort to "re-engage with the outside world."

Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Huang Ping said President Xi has invited President Emmerson Mnangagwa to visit China to discuss future developmental projects for the two countries. "We want to further strengthen the good relationship and expand our cooperation in the future," Huang said.

"We are expecting the two leaders to map out a blueprint for development of our countries," Zimbabwean Energy Minister Simon Khaya Moyo said to Zimbabwe's state media in January.

China has been a significant economic partner for African countries.

A study published by African Development Review in 2014 found that trade with China has had a positive impact on African GDP, and trade with China tended to have more impact on African economies than trade with the EU.

China-Africa bilateral trade has been steadily increasing, and Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa has grown at a stable pace over the last decade. In fact, China is the biggest investor in Zimbabwe.

China is to host the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in Beijing in September. Cameroon's President Paul Biya and Namibian President Hage Geingob both paid a state visits to China in March.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with the two heads of state and welcomed them to take an active part in the building of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Various cooperative agreements were signed covering areas such as infrastructure and finance, during their visits to Beijing.

Read more: China pledges more investment in Cameroon

Read more: Infrastructure, finance deals signed between China and Namibia

Mnangagwa served as interim president until August, and he has openly announced he will hold a transparent and fair election by July.

While Zimbabwe faces huge economic challenges, such as severe cash shortages and dramatic food price inflation, Mnangagwa is focused to fight for economic recovery, and to demonstrate the ruling party is ready to participate in the upcoming election, in an attempt to win votes.