Chinese companies actively involved in Tajik mining projects, road construction, and industrial initiatives are now facing growing discontent from local communities where they invest, reports Ozodi.
In a recent incident that occurred in November at the Zarafshan gold mine located near Penjikent in northwestern Tajikistan, local workers expressed dissatisfaction with working conditions. This enterprise is one of the largest in the country and is under the control of Chinese investors.
A group of Tajik miners, unhappy with their stable salaries and alleged discrepancies in pay compared to their Chinese colleagues, approached management with a request for a salary increase. In their appeal, they emphasized that "the existing wages do not correspond" to the rising prices of consumer goods. This case became a rare example of collective protest in one of the country's most challenging sectors to work in.
According to two anonymous company employees, the monthly salaries of miners range from 2000 to 4000 somoni (approximately from 215 to 430 USD). Their demands for a salary increase and the elimination of the pay gap were rejected by the Zarafshan mining company.
"The work requires significant physical effort and is associated with dangers," one of the workers reported. "We hope that our compensation will fairly reflect this."
This conflict highlights the growing tension within the Zarafshan project, which since its launch in 2007 has become a symbol of both opportunities and the alleged inequalities associated with Chinese investments.
The Zarafshan gold mining enterprise, responsible for 70% of all gold production in Tajikistan, holds strategic importance for the country's government. President Emomali Rahmon praised the project during his visit in July 2023.
Workers who spoke with RFE/RL also noted the lack of transparency in management and significant pay disparities between Tajik and Chinese employees.
In response to the workers' appeals, the company director stated that there are no plans to increase base salaries; however, a new bonus system will be implemented starting in 2026.
Under this system, workers will receive additional payments: 200 somoni (21 USD) for their birthday, 300 somoni (32 USD) for New Year, and 500 somoni (53 USD) for Navruz, which is celebrated on the day of the spring equinox and widely celebrated in Central Asia.
Nevertheless, employees who spoke with RFE/RL believe that these bonuses will not resolve their issues, and tensions between Tajik and Chinese workers in the company continue to rise.
"Bonuses are certainly a positive aspect," noted one miner. "But they do not change our lives every month."
DISSATISFACTION WITHIN THE FLAGSHIP PROJECT
China has become the largest foreign investor in Tajikistan, investing over 5.1 billion USD since 2007, with more than 700 enterprises with Chinese participation operating in the country. In 2024, Tajik parliamentarians ratified an investment protection agreement with China, providing Chinese investors with more reliable legal guarantees.
However, Chinese projects face various challenges.
An Ozodi investigation in 2024 revealed instances of environmental damage in several Chinese mining and agricultural areas, including Zarafshan. Local residents reported health issues such as premature births and respiratory diseases. These allegations were categorically denied by Tajik authorities.
Disputes reveal a deepening distrust between local communities and the oversight bodies responsible for foreign projects. The situation is exacerbated by the observed impunity of Chinese companies and their lenient treatment by Tajik authorities.
At the Zarafshan mine, tensions are rising between Tajik workers and Chinese specialists, who mainly hold technical and administrative positions, but whose salaries remain unknown.
An anonymous employee of Zarafshan reported that after complaints about low wages and the disparity between Tajik and Chinese salaries, the accounting department was divided into two: one servicing Chinese workers and the other servicing Tajik workers.
He also claims that one of the former employees of the finance department informed him of a significant salary gap.
"For example, a Tajik engineer may earn 5000–7000 somoni, while his Chinese colleague earns up to 30,000–40,000 somoni," he noted. "Chinese workers work eight hours, while many Tajik employees have to work up to 11 hours a day to earn more, although eight hours is the standard."
RFE/RL was unable to verify these salary figures, and the Zarafshan company did not respond to requests for comments.
These allegations and the lack of transparency only amplify public opinion in Tajikistan regarding the preferential treatment of Chinese workers. Tensions between workers have sometimes escalated to the point that Tajik authorities had to intervene.
In 2025, under pressure from the Penjikent prosecutor's office, Zarafshan transferred more than 1000 Tajik workers from contracts to permanent employment.
On January 13, the Penjikent prosecutor confirmed in an official response to RFE/RL the existence of "various violations of labor rights" at the site but did not provide further details.
OUTBREAKS OF VIOLENCE AND UNCERTAINTY AROUND INVESTMENTS
Labor conflicts coincide with growing concerns about the safety of Chinese projects across the country.
Since December 1, work on a crucial section of the Dushanbe–China road has been suspended following two deadly attacks near the border with Afghanistan.
On November 30, armed assailants killed two Chinese workers and injured two others at a construction site in the Darvaz district, after which Beijing urged Dushanbe to take measures to protect its citizens.
Tajik officials blamed an "armed terrorist group," without providing further details. Just days earlier, three Chinese nationals were killed in another attack at a gold washing site in the Shamsiddin Shohin area, and Tajik authorities stated that both attacks originated from the Afghan side.
These events have raised alarm among Chinese contractors along the strategic Dushanbe–Kulma route, which stretches 109 kilometers through remote areas to China's Xinjiang. President Emomali Rahmon noted the partial opening of the route in mid-2025; however, construction delays and new security measures cast doubt on the project's completion this year.
A wave of instability could negatively impact relations with Beijing and reduce the willingness of Chinese companies to continue their operations and invest, which in turn would affect Tajikistan's economy.
According to official data, Chinese companies dominate the country's gold mining sector, accounting for 84% of total production.
In addition to Zarafshan, significant projects include the Pokrud gold deposit located south of Dushanbe and the TALCO Gold mine worth 136 million USD in the northern Ayni region, developed in partnership with the Chinese company Tibet Huayu Mining. The expansion of this sector has helped one of the poorest countries in Central Asia increase exports but has also heightened its dependence on Chinese investments.
For Zarafshan workers, rising prices and the lack of changes in salaries remain major issues.
"We do the hardest work, but the results go to others," shared one Tajik worker from the mine with RFE/RL.
