Zig is indeed designed specifically for such tasks as system programming and interoperability with C code. However it is not yet ready for production usage as necessary infrastructure is not yet done and each new version introduces breaking changes. Developers recomend waiting version 1.0 before using it in any serious project.
Zig has other selling points, that are arguably more suitable for system programming. Rust’s obsession with safety (which is still not absolute even in rust) is not the only thing to consider.