Enhancing the Polar economic relationship between the Republic of China and the Republic of Zimbabwe in the Construction Industry

The role(s) of China in Africa and in particular to the Republic of Zimbabwe has often been viewed by many scholars as polar and more to benefit the Republic of China than the later. This paper examines this allegation with the motive to craft strategies that will suggest a symbiotic economic scenario between the dyad in the Construction Industry. Researched anecdotes have pointed at the economic relationship between these two countries as of a parasitic nature, nurturing dependency, poor labour practices, and exclusion of local stakeholders on the part of the Republic of Zimbabwe when compared to the official and unrecorded exploits on the essential raw materials by the Republic of China. This is despite real infrastructural developments the Republic of Zimbabwe has achieved within the economic networks with the Republic of China. This paper uses a case study approach to identify critical strategies for rebalancing the economic relationship, including stricter local content policies, technology transfer, transparency, joint ventures, and sustainable infrastructure planning. The paper takes the position that, there is need by the Republic of Zimbabwe to subject it economic situation to both structural reforms and policy shifts towards Chinese enterprises to achieve equitable economic outputs and outcomes. Received: 08 November 2025 /Accepted: 29 December 2025 /Published: January 2026