China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Zimbabwe’s Development Strategy: Opportunities, Challenges, and Policy Implications

Abstract

This article critically examines the intersections between China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 as articulated through the National Development Strategies, NDS1 (2021–2025) and NDS2 (2026–2030). As Zimbabwe seeks to transition toward upper-middle-income status, Chinese financing, infrastructure development, and investment have become central to its modernisation agenda. Drawing on theoretical perspectives from South–South Cooperation, Dependency Theory, and Developmental State Theory, the paper provides a structured analysis of the opportunities and challenges posed by BRI engagement. The article argues that while Zimbabwe benefits from large-scale infrastructure, energy, and industrialisation projects under the BRI, long-term developmental outcomes depend on strengthening governance capacity, improving transparency, and aligning Chinese investments more closely with national policy priorities.