China orders six of its mining companies to leave Congolese region

WION Web Team

New DelhiUpdated: Sep 16, 2021, 02:53 PM IST

(Representative image) A worker driving a front loader collects ore in the open air at the Miba (Minière de Bakwanga) diamond mining site in Mbuji-Mayi, Kasai region, Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 3, 2021 Photograph:(AFP)

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China said that its companies will not be allowed to break local laws in Congo

Chinese authorities have ordered the country's six mining companies to stop mining operations and leave a province in Democratic Republic of Congo. This came after Congo's South Kivu province ordered the companies to suspend operations over illegal mining and destruction of environment.

On Tuesday, Director-General of African Affairs at China's foreign ministry Wu Peng tweeted that the companies had been ordered to leave the South Kivu province. Saying that Chinese companies will not be allowed to break local laws in DR Congo, Peng said the six companies found to be breaking Congolese laws will be "punished and sanctioned" by China.

Recently, the #DRC governor ordered six Chinese and Sino-foreign joint venture mining companies in South Kivu province to suspend the operations for the illegal mining activities. We support the DRC in cracking down on illegal economic activities in accordance with the law.
— 吴鹏 Wu Peng (@WuPeng_MFAChina) September 14, 2021

South China Morning Post however, reported that the companies were asked to leave DR Congo.

The governor of Congo’s eastern South Kivu province, Theo Kasi, suspended the operations of the six small Chinese companies on Aug 20, ordering all local and foreign staff to leave the sites.

Kasi said the suspension came after the companies missed a deadline to register their activities with the authorities.

Kasi identified the companies as BM Global Business, Congo Blueant Minerals, Orientale Ressource Congo, Yellow Water Ressources, New Continent Mineral, and Groupe Cristal, ordering all local and foreign staff to leave the sites. Reuters was unable to reach the companies for comment.