The government of China handed over a new $100 million parliament building to Zimbabwe on Thursday, said to have been constructed and funded by China through a grant.

The new parliament building, which stands gallantly on the outskirts of the country’s capital, Harare, contains a six-story office complex and a four-story building that houses the National Assembly and Senate.

Vice Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) and head of a visiting Chinese delegation, Tang Wenhong, handed over the building officially to Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

President Mnangagwa, while speaking at the handover ceremony, informed guests that the new parliament building stands as “a symbol of progress and cooperation” between Zimbabwe and China.

“The new parliament building, which stands as one of the most magnificent and modern buildings in our country, signifies the excellent relations that exist between Zimbabwe and the People’s Republic of China. The attention to detail and high standards of workmanship exhibited in this project are indeed commendable,” he said.

He added:

“This marks a significant milestone in our enduring friendship with China.

“Over and above these projects, we have witnessed increased diplomatic and economic engagement between Zimbabwe and the People’s Republic of China.

“In addition, our country has seen many more Chinese companies investing in various sectors of the economy.

“The emergence of quality products from Zimbabwe, particularly citrus, entering the Chinese market is a welcome development,” President Mnangagwa said.

Commenting on the building, the Parliament said: “The building competes well on an international scale, replete with modern features including incisive automatic firefighting machines, state of the art interpretation systems, automatic ramps for wheelchairs, cafeterias, and world class broadcasting studios and offices.”