China sends criminal experts to halt kidnappings in mineral-rich Democratic Republic of the Congo
- High-level bilateral talks involving senior Ministry of Public Security official and Congolese deputy prime minister underscore high stakes
- China sources 60 per cent of its cobalt needs from the DRC, making the African nation indispensable to Beijing’s economic aims
As its alarm grows over the safety of Chinese citizens working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s high-stakes mining industry, Beijing is deploying criminal investigators to help halt kidnappings in the African nation.
Eager to better protect Chinese businesses and citizens in the mineral-rich country, Beijing recently sent a delegation led by Liu Jingjie, head of the criminal investigation bureau at China’s Ministry of Public Security, to meet Congolese security officials.
The high-level bilateral discussions included the DRC’s deputy prime minister and interior minister, Gilbert Kankonde Malamba, as well as members of its national police, immigration department and intelligence bureau.
Later the Chinese embassy in the DRC spoke of “police cooperation between China and the DRC, strengthening the security protection of Chinese nationals” in the country. The discussions also addressed rescuing kidnapped Chinese citizens and the difficulties Chinese nationals encounter in obtaining documents in the DRC.
“The Congolese side is willing to further strengthen communication and coordination with the Chinese side to better understand China’s demands, to deepen bilateral cooperation in the security field,” the embassy said in a statement.
As the world’s largest lithium-ion battery maker, China’s relationship with the DRC is arguably indispensable. The DRC produces more than 70 per cent of the world’s cobalt.