China’s foreign minister called on sanctions against Zimbabwe to be removed, saying they have no basis under international law.

“The unilateral sanctions imposed by some countries and organizations on Zimbabwe have no basis in international law and they violate the legitimate development rights and interests of Zimbabwe,” Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, told reporters in Harare. “China fully supports the just aspirations of Zimbabwe and African countries to remove those sanctions on Zimbabwe.”

The U.S. has imposed sanctions against Zimbabwe’s ruling party officials and their related businesses since 2001, citing a lack of human rights reforms and restrictions on press freedom.

China is Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner and has invested heavily in the country’s infrastructure. Wang is on a two-day visit to Zimbabwe as part of an African tour that has already taken him through Egypt, Djibouti, Eritrea and Burundi.