China’s embassy in Harare has appealed to the Zimbabwean government to protect its nationals following the murder of a Chinese man in the capital, a newspaper reported on Friday.
In a statement, the embassy noted with concern that several Chinese nationals and companies had been ”plundered by armed robbers”, the state-controlled Herald reported.
”We hope the Zimbabwean authorities [will] make thorough investigations of these cases,” said the statement following the murder of an unnamed Chinese national outside the home of a colleague last week in the upmarket Harare suburb of Avondale.
”We also hope the Zimbabwean side would do something to strengthen the security [and] protection of foreign citizens, including Chinese nationals,” said the statement.
The embassy also urged the police to create a safe environment that was necessary ”for foreign investment and trade in Zimbabwe”.
The same report cited police sources as saying that the Chinese man could have been killed by his own collegues due to a disagreement over foreign currency.
There have been several reports of Chinese nationals being held up at gunpoint in their houses in Zimbabwe while large amounts of money and electronic goods were stolen.
Chinese visitors to the African country are increasing following the government’s push for more investment from the Asian economic giant.
Flea markets and shops are awash with cheap Asian imports, many of them from China. The Financial Gazette reported on Thursday that at least 35 local textile companies had been forced to close in the past three years because of the competition. – Sapa-DPA