▁the ▁American ▁Soci ological ▁Association ▁Category : M ale ▁femin ists ▁Category : 1 9 th - century ▁American ▁writers ▁Category : 2 0 th - century ▁American ▁writers ▁Category : B rown ▁University ▁fac ulty <0x0A> </s> ▁China ▁and ▁Z imb ab we ▁have ▁had ▁a ▁close , ▁but ▁che quer ed , ▁relationship ▁since ▁the ▁latter ' s ▁independence . ▁ ▁History ▁China – Z imb ab we ▁relations ▁date ▁back ▁to ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁during ▁the ▁Rh odes ian ▁Bush ▁War . ▁The ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁supported ▁Josh ua ▁N kom o ' s ▁Z imb ab we ▁African ▁People ' s ▁Union , ▁and ▁supplied ▁them ▁with ▁arms ; ▁Robert ▁M ug abe ' s ▁attempts ▁to ▁gain ▁Soviet ▁support ▁for ▁his ▁Z imb ab we ▁African ▁National ▁Union ▁were ▁re buff ed , ▁leading ▁him ▁to ▁enter ▁into ▁relations ▁with ▁Soviet ▁rival ▁Be ij ing , ▁cul min ating ▁in ▁a ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁meeting ▁in ▁Moz amb ique ▁in ▁which ▁both ▁sides ▁aff ir med ▁their ▁intent ▁to ▁co oper ate ▁more ▁closely . ▁The ▁two ▁countries ▁formally ▁established ▁diplom atic ▁relations ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁April ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁Z imb ab we ' s ▁independence . ▁Two ▁months ▁later , ▁Z imb ab we ' s ▁foreign ▁minister ▁Simon ▁M uz enda ▁visited ▁Be ij ing ▁to ▁express ▁his ▁thanks ; ▁he ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁Z imb ab we an ▁president ▁Robert ▁M