NEVER MIND THE YUAN, FEEL THE IDEOLOGY

Ideological rather than commercial motives led to the 2003 launch of Zimbabwe's Look East' policy, but as the country's economic position has deteriorated, Harare has tried to woo Chinese capital and companies. In 2000, China established the China-Africa Cooperation Forum with 44 African nations to promote free trade and investment. But by then, trade with Zimbabwe was already in decline.