Chinese arms shipment to Zimbabwe Heads Back to China

By Ariel Lin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – A Chinese ship that was carrying three million rounds of assault rifle ammunition, 3,000 mortar rounds and 1,500 rocket-propelled grenades to Zimbabwe is being brought back to China, the Chinese government said today.  The ship, identified as the An Yue Jiang and belonging to COSCO, a state-owned shipping firm, was forced to abandon plans to unload in the South African port of Durban last week.

The news comes after the United States urged countries in southern Africa — particularly South Africa, Mozambique, Angola and Namibia — not to allow the ship to dock or unload.  It also asked China to withdraw the weapons shipment and halt further arms shipments to Zimbabwe until the post-election crisis is resolved.

However, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said, “The cargo was not unloaded because the Zimbabwe side failed to receive the goods as scheduled, so the Chinese company made the decision according to this situation.”  She also reiterated the shipment was a purely commercial transaction that did not break any laws or international obligations and had nothing to do with the ongoing political crisis.

The Chinese ship has sparked international condemnation for attempting to transport weapons to Zimbabwe that could be used to crackdown on Zimbabwe’s political opposition. China’s decision to turn the ship around was welcomed by the dockworkers, trade unionists, religious leaders, Western diplomats, and human rights workers.

China is a major supporter of Zimbabwe’s ruler Robert Mugabe, who has touted a “look East” policy of closer cooperation with China.  However, Beijing has shown signs of increasing embarrassment over its association with Mugabe.  Last year, China said that it had decided to halt all assistance to Zimbabwe except humanitarian aid. It was unclear if the contract of the weapons trade was signed before that pledge.

For information, please see
:

AFP – Chinese arms shipment to Zimbabwe turning back: Beijing – 24 April 2008

AP – Zimbabwe arms deal is off – China – 24 April 2008

New York Times – Zimbabwe-Bound Ship Heads Back to China – 24 April 2008

Reuters – China says arms bound for Zimbabwe to be recalled – 24 April 2008

Wall Street Journal – China defended its arms shipments to Zimbabwe – 24 April 2008

XinHua – China arms trade conforms to laws, int’l obligations – 24 April 2008

Author: Impunity Watch Archive