VISITING Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Yang has admitted that some Chinese companies operating in the country have not been upholding good business practices and warned that his government would soon take action against them. Report by Wonai Masvingise
Speaking after paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare yesterday, Wang accused some Chinese companies operating locally of furthering personal interests at the expense of morality.
Several Chinese companies operating in the country have been accused of poor labour practices, including physically abusing local workers.
“What I want to emphasise is that Chinese companies operating in Zimbabwe want to make money. Upon my arrival yesterday, I had a meeting with Chinese companies operating here and I told the representatives of these companies that it is important to make money in a moral manner and they should not make profit out of immorality,” Wang said.
“There are several million companies who want to establish businesses here in Zimbabwe and most Chinese companies are good ones, but I cannot say for sure that all of them live up to the standard. The Chinese government discourages such businesses who do bad things and we will take measures against them and ask them to do good things.”
Tsvangirai told Wang that the Zimbabwean government appreciated the efforts China was making to assist the country.
“We see the increase in Chinese investments in Zimbabwe and we would like to assure you that we welcome Chinese investments,” Tsvangirai said.
