The South African Institute of International Affairs published in October 2014 a paper titled "China and Zimbabwe: The Context and Contents of a Complex Relationship" by Abiodun Alao, senior lecturer at the African Leadership Centre, King's College London.
The paper looks at Sino-Zimbabwean relations, examining how they have evolved over time. He concludes that the decades ahead are likely to be crucial for the relationship especially as Zimbabwe has to begin looking at a future without its aging president.