ug abe ▁himself ▁the ▁next ▁year . ▁ ▁M ug abe ▁placed ▁great ▁importance ▁on ▁Z imb ab we ' s ▁relations ▁with ▁China , ▁especially ▁after ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁st ando ff ▁with ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁resulted ▁in ▁capital ▁flight ▁and ▁economic ▁de pression . ▁T ies ▁have ▁deep ened ▁inline ▁with ▁Z imb ab we ' s ▁political ▁isol ation ▁from ▁the ▁European ▁Union ; ▁China ▁has ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁the ▁" only ▁major ▁international ▁supp orter " ▁of ▁Z imb ab we , ▁due ▁to ▁their ▁principle ▁of ▁non - inter ference ▁in ▁internal ▁affairs ▁such ▁as ▁human ▁rights ▁issues . ▁However , ▁there ▁are ▁increasing ▁signs ▁that ▁China ▁remain ▁app reh ensive ▁about ▁their ▁relations ▁with ▁Z imb ab we ▁and ▁prefer ▁to ▁concent rate ▁their ▁political ▁capital ▁on ▁countries ▁with ▁oil ▁res erves . ▁Chinese ▁president ▁Hu ▁J int ao ▁did ▁not ▁visit ▁Z imb ab we ▁on ▁his ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁tour ▁of ▁southern ▁Africa , ▁though ▁his ▁schedule ▁took ▁him ▁to ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁countries ▁near ▁Z imb ab we , ▁including ▁Moz amb ique , ▁Nam ib ia , ▁South ▁Africa , ▁and ▁Z amb ia . ▁ ▁A ▁deleg ation ▁of ▁Chinese ▁business men ▁did ▁visit ▁Z imb ab we ▁around ▁that ▁time ; ▁however , ▁the ▁Z imb ab we ▁Tour ism ▁Author ity ▁put ▁up ▁signs ▁with ▁messages ▁in ▁Korean ▁to ▁welcome ▁them . ▁Sp okes men ▁stated ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁h ire ▁Chinese ▁transl ators