In the

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

there is a significant community of Chinese migrants located in the capital of Kinshasa and the mineral rich southern

Haut-Katanga Province Haut-Katanga (French for "Upper Katanga") is one of the 21 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Haut-Katanga, Haut-Lomami, Lualaba, and Tanganyika provinces are the result of the dismember ...

. According to official figures from the Chinese embassy, there are 5,000 Chinese living in the DR Congo, though the actual number is believed to be far higher. More recent estimates vary from 5,000 to 50,000. The

Mining industry of the Democratic Republic of the Congo The mining industry of the Democratic Republic of the Congo produces copper, diamonds, tantalum, tin, gold, and more than 63% of global cobalt production. Minerals and petroleum are central to the DRC's economy, making up more than 95% of value of ...

is a main reason for Chinese people moving to the DRC.

Business

Business links, both by individual entrepreneurs and state owned enterprises, has brought Chinese migration to the DRC. The first wave of migrants were individuals who opened stores, restaurants, and private medical clinics. Chinese run stores in Kinshasa are typically scattered across neighborhoods and are not concentrated in any Chinatown. The stores carry a range of household goods and change money. Some small scale entrepreneurs are in mining. In Katanga Province 60 of the 75 mineral processing plants are owned by Chinese entrepreneurs. Chinese employers have been criticized for their use of

child labor Child labour refers to the exploitation of children through any form of work that deprives children of their childhood, interferes with their ability to attend regular school, and is mentally, physically, socially and morally harmful. Such e ...

and lack of health and safety standards. Major deals have been signed by Chinese state owned companies and the DRC government. In 2012, Chinese investors and the Export-Import Bank of China offered to build $6 billion worth of infrastructure as part of a loan backed by collateral in mineral rights. These state owned enterprises have brought Chinese employees to the country.

Anti-Chinese violence

Congolese mobs have attacked Chinese businesses on at least two occasions. In December 2010, local team TP Mazembe lost to Italian club

Inter Milan Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy. Inter is ...

. Mobs in

Lubumbashi Lubumbashi (former names: ( French), (Dutch)) is the second-largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, located in the country's southeasternmost part, along the border with Zambia. The capital and principal city of the Haut-Katang ...

were angered by the calls made by a Japanese referee who was mistaken for Chinese, provoking attacks on Chinese businesses in the city. During

protests A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one. Protests can be thought of as acts of coopera ...

in January 2015 against the government of

Joseph Kabila Joseph Kabila Kabange ( , ; born 4 June 1971) is a Congolese politician who served as President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between January 2001 and January 2019. He took office ten days after the assassination of his father, Pres ...

, Chinese businesses in the Kinshasa neighborhoods of Ngaba and Kalamu were targeted for destruction. An Agence France-Presse article on the attacks reported the motivation for violence was both resentment by local businesses that had difficulty competing against the low prices of Chinese run stores and association by rioters of Chinese nationals running stores with investment deals concluded by Chinese companies and the government.

References

{{Overseas Chinese

Democratic Republic of Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

Ethnic groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo