The 90-year old President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, who has been one of Beijing’s staunchest allies in Africa, dating from his days as a Maoist revolutionary fighting to overturn minority rule by whites, was received in Beijing at the start of a 5-day (Aug 24-28, 2014) visit with full honours but left China on August 28, without the unconditional support he had sought.

Mugabe was hoping for a US$10billion financial bailout package, with an initial tranche of US$4 billion, but he instead received a US$ 2 billion loan, to be secured against future Zimbabwean mining tax revenues, for the future construction of a coal mine, power station and dam. Zimbabwe also received an agreement to conduct feasibility studies for other telecoms and infrastructure projects, US$ 8 million in donated rice and a US$ 24 milllion grant to build schools and clinics.