CHINA’S EXPLOITATION OF ZIMBABWE: A WAKE-UP CALL FOR THE NATION

Over 85,000 Chinese nationals now live in Zimbabwe. Most are not migrants seeking a new home but temporary workers serving the interests of China. Their presence raises questions about what they are doing here and why Zimbabwe has become a key focus for China’s resource extraction and industrial goals.

China views Zimbabwe as a treasure chest of raw materials needed to fuel its industrial expansion. From massive iron ore deposits, limestone, and coal to the best chrome reserves in the world, Zimbabwe offers what China’s industrial machine needs. The strategy is clear: move polluting industries like steel production out of China to avoid Western trade restrictions while exploiting Africa’s resources under the guise of investment.

Zimbabwe’s vast lithium reserves have attracted significant attention, but the benefits are one-sided. While Zimbabwe exports lithium concentrate worth $4 billion annually, the government fails to account for other valuable minerals within the ore, worth potentially far more. This lack of transparency highlights a deeper problem: resources are being extracted with little regard for Zimbabwe’s economic growth or environmental health.

Gold is another area of concern. China reportedly takes a quarter of Zimbabwe’s gold output through opaque deals, large-scale investments, and environmentally destructive mining practices. Open-cast mines leave landscapes devastated, resembling war-torn fields, while environmental regulations are ignored.

China’s exploitative approach to Zimbabwe’s resources began with the Marange diamond fields. Between 2008 and today, an estimated $30 billion worth of diamonds has been extracted, largely benefiting Chinese corporations and local elites. The people of Marange remain in poverty, with no infrastructure improvements to show for their region’s wealth. Meanwhile, Chinese companies and Zimbabwe’s old army generals have grown wealthy, building mansions and enjoying the spoils of corruption.

Chinese investments in infrastructure focus solely on supporting their extractive activities. Power plants, railways, and even a planned port in Mozambique cater to Chinese industrial goals, not Zimbabwe’s development needs. For instance, Hwange Power Station was built at an inflated cost, and its inefficiency drives up local electricity tariffs. Meanwhile, Chinese companies build their own coal-based power plants at a fraction of the cost to meet their energy needs, all while securing coal at rock-bottom prices.

The lack of value addition in Zimbabwe’s exports is another alarming issue. Chinese companies ship raw materials like steel billets, lithium concentrate, and ferrochrome to China, leaving Zimbabwe with minimal economic gains. Instead of building local industries to process these resources, the government allows China to extract and export raw materials for foreign benefit.

Zimbabweans must question the long-term consequences of this relationship. The Belt and Road Initiative, often presented as an opportunity for development, has left many African countries burdened with overpriced infrastructure financed on harsh terms. Hwange Power Station and railway projects in Kenya and Ethiopia serve as cautionary tales of how China’s investments prioritize their interests over local development.

The Western world’s lack of engagement has created a vacuum that China exploits. However, this does not mean Zimbabwe should accept exploitation as the only path forward. The nation must take control of its resources and demand fair partnerships. Chinese companies must employ local workers, comply with environmental laws, and invest in infrastructure that benefits Zimbabweans, not just their operations.

Zimbabwe’s leaders must stop allowing bribery and corruption to influence deals that harm the nation’s long-term interests. The people must demand transparency and accountability to ensure the country receives fair value for its exports. Instead of allowing China to dictate the terms, Zimbabwe must set its own rules to protect its resources and secure meaningful development.

The current path of resource extraction for marginal gains cannot continue. Zimbabwe is rich in natural wealth, but this wealth must benefit its people, not foreign corporations and corrupt elites. The time to act is now before the country is stripped bare of its potential.