Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday said Chinese investments are welcomed and he hopes the economic ties can be further strengthened after Zimbabwe's elections.

Tsvangirai told visiting Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang that Zimbabwe's new constitution, which was signed into law Wednesday, provides strong protection for foreign investments.

Chinese businesses form the forefront of foreign investments in Zimbabwe, Tsvangirai said, adding that he wants to be assured that the economic cooperation can be strengthened after the country holds harmonized elections later this year.

China is the third largest trading partner of Zimbabwe with bilateral trade exceeding 1 billion US dollars last year. China has also become Zimbabwe's largest foreign direct investment source.

Tsvangirai assured Wang that the Zimbabwe side is not making accusation about Chinese business practices in the country.

"Like all businesses, we want acceptable labor standards, we want acceptable business practices. That's all what we require," the former labor union leader said.

Tsvangirai, who is in a four-year-old coalition government, is competing mainly against President Robert Mugabe for the country's top post in elections expected to take place later this year.