Zimbabwe and China Have more than Cultural Ties

We Are One: When China Meets Africa

China Focus: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and how people in Zimbabwe view China?

Piwayi Dzuda: My name is Piwayi, and I plan to get my own Chinese name in the future. I come from Harare, Zimbabwe. Harare’s the capital city, some people may not know that. I work for Zimbabwe Newspapers Radio Division. It started off as a newspaper company many years ago and now it has gone into television as well as radio. I am the Deputy General Manager for the radio broadcasting division in Zimbabwe. Now that we are involved in radio programming it is important for us to be here in China to learn what it has been doing in terms of broadcasting.

Based on my visit here, I have noticed that China has really developed in terms of its media industry. So, we’ve got a lot to learn in terms of where we want to take our broadcasting in Zimbabwe. We grew up watching Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. I mean, Chinese programming is not new in Zimbabwe. Youngsters follow Chinese films, especially the actions movies. Personally, I’m looking forward to the one that is being produced now, it’s called High China; I think it’s being done by CCTV.

China Focus: Are people in Zimbabwe really accepting Chinese people?

Piwayi Dzuda: Yes, 100 percent, because in most of the movies, they are fighting to protect other people, so Chinese people are regarded as people who will protect you when you’re in trouble. Something like that; that’s how it impacts the children. So, nobody thinks of Chinese people and then gets scared. No. They feel safe and they feel loved and they feel protected. The public image and public opinion of Chinese people in Zimbabwe is very, very good.

China Focus: What did China mean to you before you came to China and now, after?

Piwayi Dzuda: What I’ve noticed with China is that the people work hard. People work hard, and they are very professional. They don’t take things for granted. Everybody’s, you know, busy with what they’re doing, and I like that. I just wish that more of us in African countries could learn from that, learn the culture of hard work. Because I think that’s why China is the way it is now in terms of development. And the people are very friendly as well, extremely friendly. I like them.

China Focus: We know Africa is also changing every day, do you think this change is because of China in some way?

Piwayi Dzuda: Yes. I think China is playing a key role in the development of Africa and, in particular, Zimbabwe. The transfer of technology, broadcasting technology, we have coming from China. There is involvement in a field like mining in my country, and there’s involvement in construction. So, there is a lot of change for the better. And also, there are some schools now in Zimbabwe that are teaching Chinese from the primary school level, because language is also part of culture.

China Focus: Use three words to describe this kind of communication.
Piwayi Dzuda: Progressive, dynamic and beneficial.

Interviewer: Cheng Yao
Editor: Liana, Elena