China ships food aid to Zimbabwe

China is sending 5,000 metric tons of food aid to Zimbabwe, official media reports, to help the African nation cope with dire food shortages.

China's deputy ambassador to Zimbabwe made the announcement, adding that the two countries wanted to increase trade to $500m (£253m) in 2008.

More than 3m Zimbabweans, 25% of the population, depend on UN food aid.

An official crop assessment after last year's harvest in May estimated the country had about a 1m ton shortfall.

The UN World Food Programme said last year that a poor harvest and the country's worsening economic situation meant hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans were running out of food.

It said the crisis was set to peak between November and March.

China has been expanding its presence in southern Africa.