Maritime threats high on agenda as Chinese navy hosts Gulf of Guinea security forum
Region offers ‘gateway to the Atlantic and proximity to vital oil resources and trade routes’, analyst says
China wrapped up a two-day forum on the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea on Thursday as it tries to boost its military presence in Africa, which analysts say would allow Beijing to “project power further west”.
The Chinese navy hosted the seminar in Shanghai, attended by the maritime armed forces of 18 countries from the Gulf of Guinea, including Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Ivory Coast and Nigeria, according to a defence ministry statement.
The forum aimed to “deepen China-Africa friendly cooperation and make new and greater contributions to jointly responding to maritime security threats and challenges and jointly safeguarding regional peace and stability”, according to official military newspaper PLA Daily.
In a keynote speech on Wednesday, Chinese navy commander Admiral Hu Zhongming said the Gulf of Guinea’s security and stability was of “great significance to the countries in the region, Africa as a whole, and even the world”.
“The Chinese navy is willing to work with friends in the Gulf of Guinea to contribute wisdom and strength to promote greater peace, security, stability and prosperity in the Gulf of Guinea,” Hu said, according to the ministry statement.
