Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
BULAWAYO could significantly boost its re-industrialisation efforts, as 11 prominent Chinese companies have shown interest in investing in the city.The firms, with interests in technology development, carbon credits trading, medical equipment production, and power generation could play a pivotal role in revitalising the local economy.
The city, through its Town Clerk, Mr Christopher Dube, has already signed several Memorandum of Understandings, with some of the companies to pave way for the preliminary deliberations between officials from the City of Bulawayo and the firms.
According to the latest council report, a delegation led by Mr Dube had held management meetings with JSW International, LLC and other Chinese industry leaders in China.
The delegation also included Mr Wisdom Siziba (Director of Town Planning), Engineer Methusi Dibidi (Acting Director of Works) and Eng Kwanele Gugulethu Sibanda (Acting Assistant Director of Water and Sanitation).
Bulawayo City Council
“The City participated in several meetings and site visits with various industries in China Shenzhen City. The companies visited and meetings held were with Shenzhen FND Environmental Technology, JOUAV Unmanned Aircraft System, SinoPharm Medical Shenzhhen, Build Your Dreams-BYD, Guangdong Southern Planning and Designing Institute of Telecom, Shenzhen Talent, China Asia Economic Development Association, Handler, Huawei, EMPTECK, China State Construction — Hailong and China Council for the Promotion of Environment and Forestry.
“The City benefited immensely from the discussions held and participation in the meetings with industries and companies from China. The officials from the City received exposure to current global technological standards and infrastructure development in China. The potential to tap into the innovation, experiences and funding opportunities was huge,” reads the report.
The delegation managed to sign Strategic Co-operation Agreements as they aim to pave the way for the projects which were discussed during the meetings.
“It was the City’s hope that the relationship established through the signing of the Strategic Co-operation Agreement would continue to strengthen the networks established in Shenzhen China. “The City intended to build on the momentum established with the various industries and companies met in Shenzhen China and follow up on all possible partnerships or co-operation and all projects that were considered for piloting,” reads the report.
Among the projects that were deliberated include a possible partnership with one of the global leaders in telecommunications technology, Huawei who are interested in piloting a traffic surveillance camera system in Bulawayo.
“Huawei was a key player in the global telecommunications landscape, particularly in the development of 5G technology. The company initially focused on manufacturing phone switches but had since expanded its product offerings to include a wide range of telecommunications infrastructure, urban traffic management, smart devices, and consumer electronics, such as smart phones, tablets, and laptops.
“They also provided modular solar power solutions and were a major provider of smart devices/chips for other industry manufacturers such as smart water meters. Areas they had expressed interest include solar solutions, off-grid internet solutions for outstations and they were considering to pilot traffic surveillance camera systems in Bulawayo,” reads the report.
SinoPharm Medical Shenzhhen — a major player in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry in China — had also expressed interest in establishing a Hearing Aid Pharmaceutical factory in the city, while JOUAV Unmanned Aircraft System expressed interest in partnering the city in the use and applicability of drones in service delivery improvement.
“The delegation visited China State Hailong Construction Technology Company Limited, a subsidiary of China State Construction International Holdings Limited, specialising in prefabricated construction and modular integrated construction (MiC). The concept of prefabricated construction provides modern smart construction solutions which could be delivered in a defined short period, optimising land usage by constructing high-rise buildings and bridges while accelerating development.
“This was observed to be applicable in the City of Bulawayo where the housing backlog list neared 130 000 and there was also an immediate and pressing need for community amenities such as clinics, schools, libraries and halls,” reads the report.
The delegation also met the China Council for the Promotion of Environment and Forestry where they reached an understanding for the council to share with the City Carbon Trading Frameworks.
“Carbon trading was a market-based mechanism aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by allowing the trading of carbon emission rights among various participants. This approach incentivised companies to lower their emissions by providing a financial benefit for those who reduce their carbon footprint below a set limit while allowing those who exceeded their limits to purchase additional allowances from others.
“This system encouraged investment in cleaner technologies and practices, as companies that could reduce emissions at a lower cost could sell their excess allowances to those facing higher costs of compliance, for example, comparing the level of industrialisation and pollution in China versus Zimbabwe,” reads the report.
COMMENTS