President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe has said he dislikes taking international aid money from the West, because it comes with pressure to “embrace” homosexuality.

Returning from a trip to China, he praised the country for not attaching strings to aid funding.

He told a TV interviewer: “[China] are partners, they are very constructive, whereas Europe and America, when they give little funding assistance to countries they always attach conditions, and that is our objection.

“We know they are negative because the approach of China is quite different from their own approach. As I said, they want to use aid to control, China uses aid to promote the African personality.”

He added that the West are always trying to get African leaders to “embrace homosexuality” through conditions on aid donations.

His comments echo those of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who said earlier this year that Uganda doesn’t need Western aid money to survive, and that it would be “sinful” to take it in exchange for not persecuting gays.

Mugabe has made several bizarre anti-gay rants in the past, claiming earlier this year he felt sorry for the Queen because of Britain’s “gay habits”.

He said: “What has happened to Britain? They have grown small in mind, small intellect. Ideology gone!

“You can’t see it in people now, with gay habits. Shame on them!

“I pity the one lady I admire, the Queen, that she is in these circumstances.

“They’ve gone to the dogs! No respect. Countries don’t respect them anymore.”

In April he threatened to expel any diplomats who mention homosexuality in Zimbabwe, at a speech after his daughter’s wedding reception.