Robert Mugabe hopes President Xi of China can help lift Zimbabwe's economy

President welcomed with a 21-gun salute at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing

Mugabe met with Xi on a visit to China hoping the long-time ally and economic giant can help the African nation's ailing economy (AP)

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe met the Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, on Monday, hoping that the country’s long-time ally and economic giant can help the African nation’s ailing economy.

Mugabe, who has been criticized by Western nations for human rights violations, was welcomed with a 21-gun salute at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

"Your Excellency is a renowned leader of the African national liberation movement," Xi said in remarks to Mugabe in a meeting in front of journalists who were briefly allowed into the room. Xi hailed him as an old friend of the Chinese people.

"The traditional friendship between China and Zimbabwe was forged in the glorious years when we stood shoulder to shoulder against imperialism, colonialism and hegemony," Xi said.

The leaders oversaw the signing of a number of agreements, including on economic, trade and tourism cooperation and emergency food donations and concessional loans from China to the southern African nation. No details were immediately released.

Mugabe told Xi that Zimbabwe, being the smaller country, benefited more from the relationship, but said his government would do its best to "reciprocate your friendship."

Zimbabwe, a once-prosperous nation of 13 million people, has struggled since 90-year-old Mugabe defeated rival Morgan Tsvangirai in a 2013 vote marked by allegations of irregularities.

Mugabe's victory ended an uneasy power-sharing deal, but foreign investors have been deterred by concerns about corruption and government policies to force foreign-owned and white-owned businesses to cede 51 percent of their shares to black Zimbabweans. Hundreds of manufacturing companies have closed in the past year.

AP