Backlash Grows Over Chinese Influence

Zimbabwe faces rising backlash over China’s political and economic influence (image source)

Criticism over Beijing’s expanding footprint in Zimbabwe has reached fever pitch after local commentators accused China of political meddling, resource plundering, and undermining national sovereignty. The debate intensified following a scathing column in The Zimbabwean on September 23, headlined “The Chinese are getting out of hand in Zimbabwe,” which charged the Chinese Embassy with openly supporting ZANU-PF in violation of diplomatic norms.

Tendai Ruben Mbofana, writing in The Zimbabwean, cites multiple incidents of Chinese aid being funneled through ruling-party structures, including solar lamps and food packages delivered via ZANU-PF’s Women’s League. He warns such actions breach the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which prohibits diplomatic interference in domestic politics.

“China’s flagrant support for one political party undermines our sovereignty and erodes public trust,” Mbofana wrote. “This is not friendship; it is a strategic grab for influence.”

Zimbabwe’s mining boom has further stoked tensions. Despite a 16% surge in lithium output to 132,196 tonnes in Q2 2024, local benefit remains scant as Chinese companies control mine sites and export routes, according to the Centre for Natural Resource Governance. Truckloads of lithium concentrates now pass daily through Beitbridge into Mozambique en route to China.

In Marange, diamond fields once heralded as community-uplifting have left hinterland residents impoverished while Chinese firms reap profits. Environmental groups link recent hippo fatalities in the Sapi Safari Area to toxic runoff from unregulated Chinese mining operations, challenging Zimbabwe National Parks’ claims of malnutrition as the cause.

The friction stands in stark contrast to the “five-star ironclad” friendship celebrated by President Mnangagwa during China’s Victory Day parade in Beijing on September 3. Xi Jinping and Mnangagwa lauded an “all-weather community with a shared future,” underscoring decades of liberation-era solidarity.

Yet analysts note that current dynamics reflect a maturing relationship where strategic and economic interests increasingly overshadow political camaraderie. “China’s leverage in Zimbabwe has evolved from ideological support to transactional resource control,” says Dr. Joseph Nhau, a political risk expert based in Harare.

Civil society and opposition leaders are calling for greater transparency in bilateral agreements and a parliamentary audit of all Chinese-funded projects. The Zimbabwean Lawyers for Human Rights has petitioned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate alleged diplomatic breaches and enforce the country’s Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Act.

As Zimbabwe balances the benefits of Chinese investment against mounting public disquiet, key questions linger: Will Harare demand Beijing curb partisan aid? Can local industries reclaim value from resource exports? And will diplomatic overtures translate into equitable partnerships?

The unfolding debate is poised to shape Zimbabwe’s foreign policy and resource governance for years to come.