The coalition government in Harare is discussing a credit line of almost $1bn with China, after Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's prime minister, secured less funding than had been hoped during a three-week trip to Europe and the US.
Mr Tsvangirai told a press conference in Harare yesterday that Tendai Biti, his finance minister, had negotiated a $950m deal, although an official at the Chinese embassy said the arrangement was “still under discussion”.
News of the potentially significant Chinese support coincided with a visit to Beijing by a delegation from Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, which has been sharing power since February with Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change.