Zimbabwe government has announced a multi-million dollar joint venture this week with Chinese IT firm Inspur Group to manufacture computers.

ICT Minister Supa Mandiwanzira confirmed this week that his government has entered into an agreement with the computer manufacturing firm. "This is part of the look-east policy, and we're happy to set up such a venture in the country," he said.

Mandiwanzira also noted that thousands of ICT graduates will be "employed when the venture is up and running."

Inspur, headquartered in Jinan, China, will have a 50% stake in the new venture which is expected to manufacture approximately 50,000 computers per year.

The government plans to develop ICT to reinforce urban infrastructure and reach 33% of the country's population.

China is playing an increasingly significant role in Zimbabwe's telecommunications infrastructure development through funding after it availed a loan of approximately $200-million for state-owned NetOne's mobile network upgrade and expansion.

Zimbabwe's finance minister Patrick Chinamasa set aside $299.2-million in his 2016 national budget for investment in the ICT sector - with the money sourced largely from loan financing and public entities' own resources, targeted at expansion and upgrading projects.

Another $17.2-million was set aside in the budget for the e-government programme, targeting the National Data Centre, communication information centres and the establishment of computer laboratories at schools.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, while in Zimbabwe a few weeks ago, signed several investment deals involving key sectors, including power generation, construction and communications.

The estimated value of the investment deals is said to be over $4 billion and add to China's existing interests in Zimbabwe's chrome and diamond mining, as well as cement manufacturing sectors.