Wang said that China’s observer missions in Zimbabwe believed that the elections “were held in a peaceful and orderly fashion with active participation by the people”.
Reuters reported that two observers’ groups said police raided their data centres and arrested staff and volunteers, making them unable to independently verify the results.
Zimbabwe’s President Mnangagwa wins second term in disputed vote
Zimbabwe’s President Mnangagwa wins second term in disputed vote
The opposition has also accused the 80-year-old Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF party, which has been in power for more than 40 years, of rigging and voter suppression.
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Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, who won 44 per cent of the presidential vote, called the result a “gigantic fraud” while urging solidarity from Zimbabwe’s neighbours.
“Africa, do not leave us. Particularly our brothers and sisters in the region and the continent. We count on your solidarity as we seek to solve this political crisis,” said Chamisa on Sunday.
Chamisa, who leads the Citizens’ Coalition for Change party, also finished second in the 2018 presidential vote.
Mnangagwa denies the allegations of fraud, calling his victory a “testament to the power of unity and progress”.
Zimbabwe police arrest 41 election monitors as votes are counted
Zimbabwe police arrest 41 election monitors as votes are counted
Wang said China adhered to the principle of non-interference in other countries’ internal matters and hoped that the Zimbabwean parties would put their people’s interests first and resolve differences through legal means.
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“We respect the Zimbabwe people’s choice, wish the country continued stability after the election and greater progress in pursuing national development and prosperity,” he said.
China maintains friendly relations with Zimbabwe and pledged in March to help Harare oppose “external interference and sanctions” in its path to development, during a meeting between former foreign minister Qin Gang and his Zimbabwean counterpart.
China, Zimbabwe seek stronger ties as Harare prepares for elections
China, Zimbabwe seek stronger ties as Harare prepares for elections
At the meeting in Beijing, Qin said the two nations were “good friends and partners that trust and support each other”.
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Also on Monday, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Washington is engaging with regional leaders to air its concerns over the Zimbabwean election.
He noted that multiple observation missions had expressed concerns that the electoral process did not meet regional and international standards for credibility, and pointed to a “systemic bias” against the opposition during the pre-election period.
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China prepares to give US$140 million parliament building to Zimbabwe
China prepares to give US$140 million parliament building to Zimbabwe
Washington strongly condemned the intimidation and disruption of election observers throughout the electoral period, Miller said. He added that “these actions belie President Mnangagwa’s repeated pledges to respect rule of law, transparency, and accountability”.
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“The United States is committed to the people of Zimbabwe and their right to choose their leaders in free and fair elections conducted in a transparent manner,” he said.
The EU’s observer mission said in a preliminary statement that “fundamental freedoms were increasingly curtailed” over the election process including by “acts of violence and intimidation”, resulting in a “climate of fear”.
“Ultimately, while election day was peaceful, the election process fell short of many regional and international standards, including equality, universality, and transparency,” the EU mission said.
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