Beijing Orders Chinese Nationals In 3 Provinces Of Democratic Republic of Congo To Leave Immediately After Incidents Of Kidnapping, Robbery, Killing

China has urged Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to help secure the release of five Chinese miners kidnapped in the country last week .

The Chinese Embassy in DRC has also ordered Chinese nationals in the three eastern provinces of DRC -- Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu -- to leave immediately after a spurt in cases of armed robbery and kidnapping of Chinese nationals.

The embassy also advised Chinese nationals and Chinese-funded institutions in other parts of the DRC to pay close attention to the local situation, strengthen safety precautions and emergency preparedness, and avoid unnecessary trips.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed serious concern with the recent kidnappings and killings of its citizens in the DRC.

“China hopes that the DRC will secure the release of the Chinese in captivity as soon as possible and take resolute and effective measures to eliminate hazards,” Wang said in a meeting with the DRC’s deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Christophe Lutundula,during the China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Dakar, Senegal.

Earlier last month, two Chinese citizens were killed and five others kidnapped in a militia attack on a gold mine in the country’s troubled eastern region.

Bayond Mining, in the province of Sud Kivu in eastern DRC, was attacked by an armed group leaving one local police officer and two chinese national dead. Five Chinese nationals kidnapped.

The eastern region of DRC is endowed with rich natural resources including gold, diamonds, coltan, tin, tungsten and tantalum, which has attracted Chinese companies and small-scale Chinese miners.

The DRC controls more than 60 per cent of the world’s reserves of cobalt ore. DRC government has signed agreement with Chinese companies offering cobalt and copper mining access in exchange for the construction of infrastructure.

Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamic State-affiliated rebel group, is active in this region and seen as responsible for several explosive attacks