Chinese Embassy shoots back at ZCTU’s ‘groundless’ accusations

Harare- THE Embassy of China in Harare has shot back at Zimbabwe’s largest trade union, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) following the latter’s statement released Tuesday which accused Chinese companies of systematic labour and law abuses, without naming any one company or citing examples,” Express Mail Zim can report.

In a slap back statement issued Thursday, the Embassy said ZCTU was making groundless accusations which were frivolous, irresponsible and unpersuasive .

“The Chinese embassy in Zimbabwe has noted the Press release by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions on October 25. However, it looks rather like a lame judgment in which there are only groundless accusations without any supporting facts and detailed information.

“The Embassy rejects such a frivolous, irresponsible and unpersuasive statement.

“It is an undeniable fact that Chinese investors have created over 100 000 jobs in Zimbabwe. “Recently Chinese enterprises successfully held two job fairs for the local job seekers, and both the number of applicants and the signing rate far exceeded expectations. These are the most convincing vote of confidence that the Zimbabwean people have cast on Chinese investments. The vast majority of Chinese companies in Zimbabwe have been operating their business in line with Zimbabwe’s laws and policies while earnestly implementing their social responsibilities and are thus welcomed by the overwhelming majority of Zimbabwean people,” read part of the statement.

It further reads:

“The Chinese embassy has been supporting the Zimbabwean government to promote the supervision on all foreign investments in accordance with the law and the principle of equality, openness and transparency.

“It is the embassy’s consistent position that disputes involving enterprises should be addressed through legal channels rather than self-righteous moral trials by a few organisations. As a labour organisation, the ZCTU should have been committed to protecting workers’ legitimate interests and rights.”

Lately, various labour organisations have been on Chinese owned companies’ throats on alleged rights abuse amid allegations that some of the bodies’ managers were exhibiting extortionist tendencies.