Hypeline World News Report

BEIJING (Hypeline News) - China on Tuesday defended a cache of its weapons headed for Zimbabwe saying it was part of normal bilateral trade, but suggested the arms might not be delivered due to problems offloading the cargo.while Protesters opposed to Chinese weapons being delivered to Zimbabwe demonstrated in South Africa on April 19

A Chinese ship loaded with a controversial cargo of arms intended for Zimbabwe is headed to the Angolan capital Luanda, as China defended the shipment against international criticism.

The Chinese ship loaded with weapons destined for Zimbabwe has highlighted Beijing’s support for the increasingly isolated African regime, amid new violence surrounding elections there.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters in Beijing.”This is normal trade in military products between the two countries,”adding”The relevant contract was signed last year and has nothing to do with the situation in Zimbabwe.”
The ship’s inventory published by a South Africa newspaper listed Three million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades and more than 3,000 mortar rounds and mortar tubes are among the cargo on the Chinese ship .

Attempts to offload the ship in the South African port of Durban were unsuccessful, and it is now headed for Angola.

Jiang said China maintained a prudent policy when it sold weapons overseas, and that Beijing sells only a fraction of the arms that are traded globally.

“We hope relevant parties will not politicise this issue,” she said.

“As Zimbabwe could not receive the cargo as scheduled, China Ocean-going Shipping Corp had to give up the Durban port and is now considering carrying back this cargo to China.”

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) said Monday it was mobilising against allowing the Chinese ship, An Yue Jiang, from offloading in any African harbour.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party currently is battling to stay in power after last month’s disputed elections, is defending its right to buy weapons saying “It’s our sovereign right to defend ourselves, it’s our sovereign right to buy weapons from any legitimate source worldwide and we don’t need clearance from anyone,” Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said.

ZANU-PF on Monday denied opposition claims of politically-related killings in the aftermath of the polls.