HARARE, April 16 (Xinhua) -- African countries can tap into their huge potential for economic development by learning lessons and experience from China, a Zimbabwean economist has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Paul Musodza, an independent economist in Zimbabwe, said China's development path has yielded impressive results over the past decades, marked by its fast-developing economy and people's enhanced livelihood.

"China is way ahead now because it has changed the way it does things at home. Now it's benefiting other countries through bilateral trade relations," Musodza said.

Musodza noted that while African countries hold vast development potential, challenges such as a lack of planning have hindered some from achieving economic growth.

But some countries, such as Uganda, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, have improved the lives of their people through careful economic planning, he said. "These countries stand out because they are learning from China and working with China."

He added that African countries, particularly those in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional economic bloc, could gain a lot by engaging China in their development strategies.

Noting that SADC has not yet formed a single market to fully benefit the people of the region, he advised that it could enhance cooperation with China by further facilitating trade and people-to-people communication to achieve win-win development.