author/source:Zim Online (SA)published: NewsBeijing is understood to be supplying advanced aircraft under a separate dealHarare - President Robert Mugabe has ordered Z$10 billion worth of arms and anti-riot equipment from China, Zim Online has learnt. Well-placed sources said Mugabe negotiated the arms supply deal when he met a joint delegation of government and private business representatives from Beijing in Harare two weeks ago. The Chinese delegation returned home last week. Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi, who helped Mugabe negotiate the deal, last night confirmed that the government held defence and trade talks with the Chinese. But he would not be drawn to disclose the details of the negotiations. Sekeramayi said: "There were discussions which centred on co-operation in areas of defence strategies and trade. But we cannot discuss those issues in detail in the Press." At the official exchange rate of Z$6 200 to one greenback, Z$10 billion is equivalent to about US$1.6 million, which is enough to buy about 13 000 tonnes of maize for one million starving Zimbabweans per month. A tonne of maize costs about US$120 on the international market. Zimbabweans, about 90 percent of whom eat maize as their staple food, consume about 150 000 tonnes of the grain per month.
According to the sources privy to the arms deal, the Chinese representatives offered to supply Zimbabwe's armed forces with weapons at preferential prices. Mugabe accepted the offer saying Zimbabwe, which is under a European Union and United States arms embargo, needed to beef up its arms reserves. The Zimbabwean leader is said to have also further requested the Chinese to supply Harare with anti-riot gear which the Chinese undertook to deliver well before a crucial parliamentary election scheduled for next year. "The President took up the Chinese arms offer which he said would beef up the country's weapons reserves. He also asked the Chinese to supply the police with anti-riot equipment," said one military officer, who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation. According to the military official, the first consignment which should comprise military, police vehicles and water tankers used to smoother riots was expected to arrive in the country by next month. The Zimbabwe police already have several Israeli-made water tankers which they have used in the past to crush demonstrations by opposition supporters. Beijing is understood to be supplying Harare with advanced aircraft under a larger and separate military supplies deal.
