Equatorial Guinea - China Relations

Equatorial Guinea is a former Spanish colony (1778-1968) and the only Spanish-speaking nation-state in Africa. China has vowed to boost pragmatic cooperation with Equatorial Guinea in infrastructure, investment and financing, agriculture and fisheries, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations on October 15, 1970, the relationship between China and Equatorial Guinea has been developing smoothly. In recent years, high-level exchanges between the two countries are close, political mutual trust has been enhanced, and mutually beneficial cooperation has made important progress, and the exchanges in various fields have been increasing day by day.

The friendly relationship and cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea sustained sound development in 2013. The two countries enjoyed close political exchanges and increasing mutual trust. In September, Zhao Hongzhu, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Deputy Secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, led a CPC delegation to Equatorial Guinea. He met and had talks with President of Equatorial Guinea and President of the ruling Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea (PDGE) Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Prime Minister Vicente Ehate Tomi as well as Secretary General of the PDGE and Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science Lucas Nguema Esono Mbang respectively. In November, Second Vice President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue paid an informal visit to China. He met with Vice President Li Yuanchao and had an in-depth exchange of views with him on bilateral relations, practical cooperation and other issues. In June, Secretary General of the PDGE Nguema visited China. In September, Equatorial Guinea's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Agapito Mba Mokuy attended the third round of Political Consultations between Chinese and African Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Steady progress was made in the cooperation between the two countries in various fields. The construction of the Chinese-assisted Malabo Building project of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Equatorial Guinea proceeded smoothly. Projects assisted by China under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, such as the building of a vocational school and a demonstration farm and the donation of solar cells, went well underway.

On 14 January 2015 local time, President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea met with visiting Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Bata. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo expressed that Equatorial Guinea regards China as true and good friend and is firmly committed to further deepening mutually beneficial cooperation. Equatorial Guinea hopes that it could gain continuous support and help from the Chinese side in promoting industrialization process and economic transformation and expects the Chinese side to play a greater role in helping Africa realize security and development. Wang Yi expressed that China cherished its traditional friendship with Equatorial Guinea and stands ready to further consolidate political mutual trust and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, so as to translate traditional friendship into the cooperative outcomes with mutual benefit and win-win results. China is also willing to promote the sustainable development in cooperation of traditional fields such as energy and industry, intensify mutually beneficial cooperation in advancing the industrialization of Equatorial Guinea and take agriculture and marine economy as the key fields in future bilateral cooperation.

On 27 October 2021 Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China welcomed Equatorial Guinea to join the Global Development Initiative. In a phone conversation with Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Xi said his country stands ready to work with Equatorial Guinea and other African countries to promote sustainable and common development of developing countries. Xi noted that in recent years, China-Equatorial Guinea relations have maintained a high level of development, with political mutual trust staying solid and practical cooperation yielding fruitful results. China, he said, highly appreciates Equatorial Guinea's strong support on issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang and human rights among others. He added that his country will, as always, firmly support Equatorial Guinea in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independently exploring its own development path, and strive for more fruitful results in bilateral friendly cooperation in various fields, so as to create more benefits for the people in both countries. On November 30, 2021 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Equatorial Guinean Foreign Minister Simeon Oyono Esono Angue on the sidelines of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Dakar. Noting that China and Equatorial Guinea enjoy a traditional friendship, Wang Yi said, China appreciates Equatorial Guinea for giving China firm support on issues involving China's core interests and major concerns, and will also, as always, firmly support Equatorial Guinea in safeguarding its sovereignty, opposing foreign interference and independently exploring a development path suited to its national conditions.

Wang Yi said, President Xi Jinping's announcement of the major initiative to provide Africa with vaccines on a large scale will help Africa realize the vaccination target of 60 percent by the end of next year. The lives of our African brothers and sisters are equally important. The vaccination gap is so unreasonable and unjust that it should be firmly corrected. China will continue to stand firmly with Africa and provide vaccines based on Africa's needs until Africa finally defeats the pandemic.

Oyono said, China is a friend, brother and strategic cooperative partner of Equatorial Guinea, and has made important contributions to the economic and social development of Equatorial Guinea. We are deeply grateful to China for providing Equatorial Guinea with vaccines at the earliest possible time and powerfully supporting Equatorial Guinea in accelerating the vaccination of its entire population. Equatorial Guinea highly appreciates that China has always treated the country on an equal footing and never interfered in the country's internal affairs. Equatorial Guinea will firmly pursue the one-China policy and commit to the friendship between the two countries. Equatorial Guinea hopes for further support from China in areas such as economic diversification and improvement of people's livelihood.

Equatorial capital Malabo is located on the island of Bioko, a beautiful city, where the high-rise buildings are not too many, The Chinese government built the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, a particularly eye-catching government office building which has become a new city landmark Malabo. There are dozens of marble columns around the tower, appears to the atmosphere, solemn, the pattern on the outer wall is the image of the red country tree tree cotton. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is under construction by Huashan International. Building covers an area of 12,483 square meters, with a total construction area of 8400 square meters, there are five floors, the project on April 1, 2012 began construction, January 14, 2015 delivery to the government.

The friendly relationship and cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea sustained sound development in 2013. Steady progress was made in the cooperation between the two countries in various fields. The construction of the Chinese-assisted Malabo Building project of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Equatorial Guinea proceeded smoothly. Projects assisted by China under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, such as the building of a vocational school and a demonstration farm and the donation of solar cells, went well underway.

The Oyala New National Capital Project in Equatorial Guinea is built to be the new national administrative and cultural center, as well as the economic and transportation hub of the inland area. Oyala has a number of projects contracted to CSCEC, including the public housing project, 10 ministerial buildings, and 1,200 office and apartment buildings of the presidential palace. The total construction area is 180,000 square meters, and the total floor area is 400,000 square meters. Upon completion, the projects will provide office workplaces for the government institutions and pleasant living experience for the residents.