HARARE, Aug. 8 -- Zimbabwean Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Felix Mhona has said Chinese-funded infrastructure projects are instrumental in the country's development.

Mhona told Xinhua on Wednesday during the official opening of a section of a highway constructed and funded by the Zimbabwean government in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, that the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative has brought some magnificent infrastructure projects to Zimbabwe.

"We are working closely with China," Mhona said, noting that Zimbabwe enjoys the fruits of its engagement with China.

"In terms of infrastructure development, when others are talking about sanctions, China is supporting Zimbabwe. We must commend the cooperation between the two countries, which has resulted in some of the magnificent projects that we are witnessing," he added.

In addition to funding the upgrading of transport infrastructure, China has also played a critical role in upgrading Zimbabwe's power infrastructure to plug a power deficiency gap facing the country, Mhona said.

Infrastructure development is critical in Zimbabwe's Vision 2030, a national development economic plan adopted in 2018 that aims to transform the country into an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 through innovation-driven growth and industrialization.

  - Xinhua