Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has been named the recipient of this year's Confucius Peace Prize.

The New York Times described the award as “the Chinese answer to the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Finalists for the award included United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, President Park Geun-Hyde of South Korea and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

The award comes with an $80,000 reward.

“The 21st-century interpretation of Confucianism is 'universal harmony in the world,'” Qiao Wei, president of the award's judging committee, told the Times. “Mugabe is the founding leader of Zimbabwe and has been trying to stabilize the country's political and economic order ever since the country was first founded. He brought benefit to the people of Zimbabwe.”

There have been widespread reports of human rights violations in Zimbabwe under Mugabe's rule.

Mugabe is also a vocal opponent of gay rights. In 2013, he threatened to “chop off” the heads of gay men who fail to reproduce.

After President Barack Obama lauded the Supreme Court's ruling that led to nationwide marriage equality, Mugabe sarcastically asked for Obama's hand in marriage.

“I've just concluded since President Obama endorses the same-sex marriage, advocates homosexual people and enjoys an attractive countenance thus if it becomes necessary, I shall travel to Washington DC, get down on my knee, and ask his hand,” Mugabe is quoted by Newsweek as saying during his weekly radio interview.