Chinese Embassy Representative to Zimbabwe, Mr. Steve Ke Zhao today warned Chinese companies and nationals doing businesses in the country to obey Zimbabwean laws so that they conduct their business peacefully.
Zhao response comes after social media reports that Chinese nationals are committing several crimes, including raping and killing of Zimbabwean citizens as well as evicting them at their residential areas to conduct mining activities.
In 2020, the media reported the shooting of a Zimbabwean worker Mr. Kenneth Tachiona by Mr. Zhang Xuen who was running a mine in Gweru province.
Media reports said Mr. Tachiona was shot after Zhang allegedly refused to pay his wages in US dollars.
Recently, the media reported that a Chinese businessman Mr. Li Qiang appeared before Harare magistrate, Judith Taruvinga for allegedly raping his 17-year-old housemaid for months promising to take her to China.
But addressing journalists in Harare on a Sino- Zim Journalists awards Mr Steve Ke Zhao said the Chinese companies should follow Zimbabwean laws if they want to peacefully conduct their business.
He urged the Zimbabwe Republic Police {ZRP} to arrest any Chinese national who commits a crime.
“When our companies come to Zimbabwe we always say follow the laws and the policies and we tell them if you don’t follow the laws of Zimbabwe we say don’t go there.
“If the people don’t follow law take them to the prison. That’s why I say we don’t allow a Chinese company which doesn’t follow Zimbabwe’s policies to come to Zimbabwe,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zhao who is also the Chairman of African Empire Group promised to work with the Zimbabwe Environmental Management Agency {EMA} to avoid land degradation being caused by the Chinese companies mining in some parts of the country.
“The mining industry always degrade the environment but we will have a lot of Chinese expect to come and discuss the issues of the environment with EMA,” he said.
The relationship between China and Zimbabwe dates back before Independence when Beijin supplied weapons to Zimbabwe for it to fight the Rhodhesian forces.
China has been giving Zimbabwe Foreign Direct Investiments {FDI} since 2015.It has been constructing roads, dams, improving electricity supply through solar projects and now they are working on modernizing the Robert Mugabe International Airport.