Embrace good business practices, Chinese businesse...

Embrace good business practices, Chinese businesses in Zimbabwe urged

Zim Now Writer

Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Chinese embassy to Zimbabwe, Huang Minghai, has castigated some of the crooked behaviour being displayed by Chinese firms operating in Zimbabwe.

This comes as some Chinese firms in Zimbabwe have been flagged for flouting some of the country’s laws, labour rights violations and environmental degradation.

Speaking at the Zimbabwe Investment Economic and Trade Promotion Conference on Tuesday, Minghai said the behaviour is not part of the country’s foreign policy.

“The Chinese government has always required Chinese companies to strictly comply with the laws and regulations of host countries and to fully respect local customers, traditions and cultures,” he said.

“The majority of Chinese companies in Zimbabwe have done a good job and are welcomed by the Zimbabwe government and the local people.

“Indeed, a few Chinese companies have some problems in their operations and this does not represent the whole picture of Chinese investment nor does it mean that the cooperation between China and African countries has been rejected.

“Some of the problems are caused by cultural differences, some are common issues in the relevant industry; some are a result of lack of management experience.

“We will push Chinese companies to make an improvement and we also firmly oppose any political manipulation and unwarranted smearing, hidden political purposes or self-interests against Chinese companies which may ultimately haunt the interests of Zimbabwe itself and harm the development of the Zimbabwe China cooperation,” he said.

During the event, speakers from the Chinese delegation who took to the podium painted a good picture of Hunan province and Huaihua City in particular while encouraging Zimbabwean businesses to forge strategic alliances with the metropolis.

The group comprised government officials, the mayor and deputy mayor of Huaihua city, and private businesspeople from the Chinese province.

Huaihua deputy mayor Han Xiaobo said Huaihua is bestowed with excellent geological conditions and rich mineral resources.

“At present, there have been 62 types of mineral species detected and 45 of them are utilised.

“The ore resources with superior quality include heavy spar, stone coal, limestone of calcium carbide, sandstone of glass (commonly known as silicon sand), and granite of finishing. Among them, the ore reserve of heavy spar is on the top list of China, while the reserves of gold and stone coal rank first in Hunan Province.

“At present, Huaihua has primarily formed an industrial system with a main frame consisting of medical, chemical, building materials, electromechanical, food, textile, and metallurgy industries.

“In 2022, the industrial added value was 45.699 billion yuan, with an increase of 4.6%. And the contribution of the mining industry increased by 6.5%,” she said.

The conference was attended by a 19-member delegation from Huaihua, a city in China’s commercial hub of Hunan province.

The event was jointly organised by the Chamber of Chinese Enterprises, Hunan Business Association in Zimbabwe, and the China Zimbabwe Exchange Centre.