What price progress for China? And who is paying it?
China’s Belt and Road Initiative’s intent is to prop up China’s attempt to gain influence on the international stage by extending its influence and power through investments throughout the world. Launched in 2013, the massive infrastructure program includes the overland Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road.
China plans to build infrastructure facilities such as ports, rails, roads, pipelines, and power plants through this initiative. A primary focus of Chinese investment is in international mining operations, especially in Africa. It is estimated that between 2018-2020, China spent approximately $54 billion in projects located in sub-Saharan Africa.
But there is an unpleasant side effect. Multiple reports detail examples of Chinese abuses toward local African workers. There are reports of Chinese managers physically abusing employees, sexually harassing them, using child labor, spewing racist slurs, and even an attempted murder. In Zimbabwe in 2020, a Chinese boss was confronted by workers when he refused to pay them in cash, and he responded by firing multiple rounds, hitting one man five times, grazing another worker in the chin, and sending bullets flying through the air. Zhang Xuen was charged with attempted murder.
The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Society said this was an blatant example of “systematic and widespread” abuse that Zimbabwe workers face from Chinese companies that employ them.
Chinese social media platforms, such as Weibo, regularly post “poverty porn” videos of African villagers. In one example, Malawian children are seen unwittingly shouting in Chinese, “I’m a black monster. My IQ is low.”
The U.S. State Department is all too aware of these abuses and human rights violations.
“While global supply chains have potential to generate growth, employment, and skill development, governments, businesses, civil society and the media must watch out for labor abuses,” a State Department spokesman told State Newswire. “Although we all hope incidents will be rare and quickly addressed, workers in these countries sometimes find it difficult to refuse or leave abusive jobs on their own. These countries must improve the ability of workers to organize in labor unions and exercise their collective voice, because freedom of association is an enabling human and labor right.”
The spokesman said the U.S. government works bilaterally and multilaterally to promote internationally recognized worker rights.
“We are a member and primary supporter of the International Labour Organization (ILO). In addition, the U.S. funds projects to advance worker rights and protections in every region of the world. For example, we provide technical assistance to foreign governments to build capacity for labor inspection and enforce labor laws,” the spokesman said. “The United States, The People’s Republic of China, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Kenya are all ILO members, and as such, are committed to promote and realize the principles concerning fundamental labor rights. It is in our collective interest to encourage prompt action by local government authorities when allegations like these arise, to enforce labor laws and end labor abuses.
“In addition, the basic principles of international responsible business conduct — enshrined in the main international instruments on responsible business, human rights, and labor rights, such as the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, ILO Conventions and the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration), and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises — call for business enterprises to respect human rights and address adverse impacts that their activities may cause, including in their supply chains and business relationships.”
