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