Late 2020, China and Zimbabwe launched five-year policies towards the realisation of vision 2030, sustainable development goals. Zimbabwe being an ally to China, one can question if this was due to diplomatic espionage, developmental experiment (competition), China extending its control over Zimbabwe through what some may call the new “annexation” of Zimbabwe or generally coincidence. Theophelous Fifteen Development is a multi-dimensional process involving changes in social structure, popular attitudes, economic growth, and reduction of inequality and eradication of poverty — Todaro and Smith. From this definition, there is need to understand if the relation, indeed, brings development to Zimbabwe paying attention also to the two policies, as Zimbabwe’s future is at stake. Looking back, the Chinese were yearning for natural resources and raw materials, while Zimbabwe was stumbling with international relations, which then led to the Look East Policy tying the two economically although the history can be traced back to the precolonial era. If the resources are depleted, will the relationship remain still? The late former President Robert Mugabe once attacked China over how much development it was bringing to Zimbabwe, as what it was giving was not commensurate with what it was taking back home. Although his successor Emmerson Mnangagwa seems to be in good books with the Chinese, there is still confusion with the people questioning the future of Zimbabwe. This is because referencing with the active years of Chinese in Zimbabwe, there has been less development as desired, as the country’s economic fortunes are still in the doldrums. National development strategy is closely interlinked with China’s 14th five-year plan, taking note of the realisation of vision 2030. The Chinese as the main investors in Zimbabwe, national priorities were highly-centred on them which in turn to some extent block other investors. Typical examples could be the food security and nutrition which is supported by Chinese agricultural programmes, promoted by Syngenta, although we have our own State-funded Pfumvudza programme aiding on. Digital economy is also in synchronisation with the Chinese focus on cryptocurrency and digital trade rules. Zimbabwe also aims at protecting environment and China turn to aid on technologies relying on MIC 2025. It cannot be refuted that most of NDS priorities are relying on China and it will pave way for enslavement at large, although the nation is set to engage and re-engage internationally. Digging deep, China’s five-year policy and Zimbabwe’s NDS have a common stratagem towards the realisation of 2030 SDGs. This can improve the dual relationship if the two work closely together as competitive counterparts as a new developmental strategy. But, however, the opposite is true as one State will always pursue its national interests, leading to dominance and creation of dependency syndrome with less cordial reciprocity. China’s five-year plan focuses on expanding its foreign expertise so as to secure its supply fetters