Plant will offer jobs, as well as products that will help reduce the country’s reliance on imports
Chinese company Sunny Yi Feng Tiles has begun construction of a multimillion-dollar wall and floor tile manufacturing factory – a move that will create thousands of jobs in the country’s burgeoning real estate sector.
The factory, situated in Norton, a town 36 kilometers from Harare, the capital, will be the country’s first such factory. Zimbabwe imports most of its wall and floor tiles. It also has a shortage of foreign currency.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, the chairman of Sunny Yi Feng, Tang Yi, said the company planned to establish several factories valued at $120 million (105 million euros; ￡92.7 million) to produce 18 million square meters of tile and 30 million pieces of porcelain tableware annually.
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Zhao Baogang (left), Chinese charge d’affaires in Zimbabwe, and Tang Yi (right), chairman of Sunny Yi Feng Tiles, attend the groundbreaking ceremony for construction of a multimillion-dollar wall and floor tile manufacturing factory in Norton, Zimbabwe. Provided to China Daily |
The factory, which is expected to be completed in mid-2019, will employ up to 1,700 workers when fully functional.
“The company will manufacture ceramic tiles and porcelain tableware that will aid the Zimbabwe government in achieving its 2030 vision of providing tile for development projects such as hospitals, schools and airports,” Yi says. “The construction of this project will have a positive impact on the economy and social benefits for the surrounding communities. It is a powerful testimony of China’s friendship with Zimbabwe.”
Tang says that, upon completion, the factory will sell 30 percent of its products in the domestic market while the other 70 percent will be exported to neighboring countries, where consumers agonize over the high price of building materials. The company also plans to set up a ceramic insulator line and coal chemical industry.
Sunny Yi Feng Tiles was awarded “national project status” in October for three years.
Zhao Baogang, the Chinese charge d’affaires in Zimbabwe, says the project enhances bilateral cooperation between Zimbabwe and China and is clear testimony of China’s support to Zimbabwe’s economy.
“This is a great project, an implementation of the consensus by President Xi Jinping and President Emmerson Mnangagwa to deepen bilateral cooperation and investment between Zimbabwe and China,” Zhao says. “In April and September this year, President Mnangagwa visited China where he held extensive discussions with his counterpart. Sunny Yi Feng is the first company after the discussions by the two presidents to take the quickest action and to have a groundbreaking ceremony for a project. This is a very substantial action to implement the consensus by the two presidents.”
Zhao says the project further shows action by a Chinese company to implement the commitment made by Xi in September at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to provide $60 billion in new financing for Africa.
He adds that while other countries are turning their backs on Zimbabwe and busy imposing sanctions, the project was evidence that China is always there to support and develop the country, including during difficult times.
“Chinese companies are here to make a lot of contributions to the development of Zimbabwe’s economy. This raises many questions about who is imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe and who is coming here to help Zimbabwe.”
Over the years, China has been instrumental in the development of infrastructure projects in Zimbabwe. Projects financed through loans from China so far include the refurbishment of Kariba South Power Plant, which recently added 300 megawatts to the national grid; expansion of the Victoria Falls International Airport; expansion of the Harare International Airport terminal; and expansion of Hwange Thermal Power Station.
“The answer is clear: China will always be a great friend of Zimbabwe and offer its support,” Zhao says. “While others are watching idly as Zimbabwe experiences difficult times, we are here to help with development. I believe this project will achieve great success and bring profit to both local people and Chinese investors.”
For China Daily
(China Daily European Weekly 10/26/2018 page31)