In November 2025, a labour dispute emerged at the Zarafshon gold mine, a major operation run by Zijin Mining in northern Tajikistan near Panjakent, after Tajik workers submitted a collective petition over stagnant wages and alleged pay disparities between local and Chinese employees. Workers said their salaries had failed to keep pace with rising living costs and claimed that Chinese staff earned significantly more for comparable roles, grievances that were described to RFE/RL. The company rejected demands for a base pay increase but responded in writing by proposing a modest bonus system including holiday and birthday payments. Zarafshon has maintained that it complies with Tajik labor law, denies wage discrimination, and says average salaries have risen year-on-year, framing the dispute as a misunderstanding rather than evidence of systemic inequality.