Following complaints that some Chinese firms were not respecting Nigerian labour laws, the Chinese envoy to Nigeria, Ambassador Gu Xiaojie has assured that the government of his country would henceforth sanction any Chinese company that disobeys Nigeria’s local content and labour laws.
Gu made the assertion on Tuesday while interacting with newsmen in Lagos, stressing that “As an Embassy, we have always urged our companies in Nigeria to be law-abiding, as well as engage in their Corporate Social Responsibilities in their host communities.
“Specifically, I am not aware of these isolated cases of complaints that Chinese companies are not obeying Nigerian Labour laws. “We have always reminded our companies that they should not put profit above the well being and interest of Nigerians working with them,’’ he said.
While disclosing that he was yet to get any report from relevant Nigerian government authorities of such companies that were violating the laws, the Envoy maintained that it was imperative for the companies to obey Nigerian laws, just as the Chinese government would want foreign companies and nationals in China to obey its laws.
He observed that the existing relationship between Chinese and Nigerians was being hampered by language, culture and proper understanding of themselves, but disclosed that the Chinese government was working hard to eradicate the current challenges in the people-to-people interaction between Chinese and Nigerians.
According to him, “Let me say that there is today much of Chinese companies presence across Nigeria which shows the existing relationship between China and Nigeria.
“Chinese companies are today providing so much job opportunities to Nigerians in different parts of Nigeria. “Let me say that China’s policy for Africa is that of openness, transparency, friendliness and win-win cooperation.”
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