Military officials from Zimbabwe and China have agreed Thursday to enhance ties between their armed forces, bringing the two nations closer together.  

Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan met with Zimbabwe's Defense Minister Sydney Sekeramayi in Beijing on Thursday. It took under an hour, according to reports, for the two ministers to agree to enhancing their military forces.

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In a statement made after the meeting had concluded, Wanquan said "Chinese military is willing to continue enhancing exchanges with Zimbabwe to develop our friendly ties." We might see more meeting in the next few years between the two countries.

Both countries have large military budgets and Zimbabwe is keen to get on the Chinese side, given the amount of power they have with international relations, military and economy. China is interested in continuing their loans and investments in Zimbabwe.

The deal will bring more funding to the Zimbabwe army and will also bring more economical needs into the region. Zimbabwe has been under economic sanctions from the West for a few years now, forcing the government to develop a "Look East" policy. 

Zimbabwe has been stepping into more poverty ever since the 2000s, when leader Robert Mugabe forced all white-owned farms out of the country, in the 2000 Land Reform Programme. This has been a controversial topic in the country ever since, with some critics of Mugabe claiming he ruined the country by fighting with the rich.

TagsRobert Mugabe, Zimbabwe, Chang Wanquan, Military