Zimbabwean president visits China for aid

BEIJING, July 25 (UPI) -- Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe met with Beijing officials Monday to discuss financial aid and trade packages to the impoverished nation.

Although no official details have been released on the substance of talks, Zimbabwe announced last week that it was hoping to discuss alternative credit lines with both China and Malaysia, the BBC reported.

Mugabe's week-long visit signals its growing relationship with China, one of the world's fastest growing economies. Mugabe is expected to request Chinese assistance in oil and food to help the country's growing economic crisis.

China is already ranked as Zimbabwe's largest trading partner supplying buses, and civilian and military aircraft to Mugabe's government.