WHILE WE WERE RESTING, CHINA WAS BUILDING GHOST CITIES There’s something tricky about the Chinese. Very tricky. Let’s go back 40 years. Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Kenya – even Zambia – had stronger economies than China. In fact, back then, China was known more for kung-fu movies and cheap radios than anything serious. Fast forward to 2025, China is now the second biggest economy in the world, threatening to overtake the U.S. Meanwhile, here in Africa, we’re still “consulting stakeholders” before fixing potholes. Ghost Cities, Full Stomachs Let’s pause for a second. China has the biggest population in the world, yet they still have entire cities that are empty. Ghost cities. Built. Tiled. Lit. Painted. Then left alone like a bride at an altar. But it’s not madness — it’s foresight. They plan 50 years ahead. We can’t even plan beyond Friday. In Zimbabwe, if you propose building a shopping mall without tenants, people will ask: “Ko vanhu vachabva kupi?” In China, they say: “Let’s build the mall. The people will come.” That’s the difference. Vision. While We Were on Holiday, They Were on Duty China's economy is like that cousin who disappeared from the village in 2000 and came back in 2020 driving a Tesla, speaking five languages and asking for “vegetarian sadza.” While we were celebrating every Friday like it’s Christmas, China was doing the following: Secrets Behind China’s Economic Miracle 1. Ruthless Work Ethic ("996") They work from 9AM to 9PM, 6 days a week. Imagine telling your Zimbabwean uncle you want to work those hours — he’ll say, “Uri kusungwa here?” But that’s the culture. Work first. Talk later. Rest? During Chinese New Year. 2. State Capitalism – Their Way It’s a weird combo: communism and capitalism had a child called "Chinese strategy." Government controls direction. Private companies run the show. If something’s not working, they change the law, not host a workshop. 3. Manufacturing Mastery They didn’t wait for anyone to invite them to global trade. They invaded. Quietly. Strategically. Toothpicks? Made in China. Chairs? Made in China. Even the Made in Africa tag is now printed in Guangzhou. Let that sink in. 4. Education with Purpose While we’re still arguing whether Agriculture is better than Shona in schools, China trains kids in robotics, AI, and drone engineering before they hit puberty. 5. Delayed Gratification Chinese people don’t rush for champagne after the first tender. They reinvest. Multiply. Expand. We buy a Ford Ranger after getting an order for bricks. What About Us? We have better weather. We speak better English. We have WhatsApp groups for everything. But we don’t execute. We celebrate ideas, while the Chinese build them. In Africa, we love meetings. In China, they love results. Their version of a strategic plan is: “Break ground next week.” We’ve turned weekends into a religion. We rest like we've already made it. “No pressure, Saturday is coming,” we say — but Sunday finds us broke again. This is not to bash us. It’s a wake-up call. China didn’t become China by magic. They became China through brutal focus, discipline, planning, and a national culture that says “the country must win first.” We don’t need to become China. But we must learn like the Chinese. Build like the Chinese. Dream like the Chinese — and act faster than our data bundles run out. The world is moving at lightning speed, and Africa is still loading... #thecharteredvendor #sellinglikeavendor #madeinchina #ghostcities #zimbabwevschina #weekendwarriors #whychinaiswinning #africawakeup