China-Gabon relations: 52 years of growing partnership

Celebrations marking the 99th anniversary of the founding of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) unfolded recently in Libreville, blending reflections on history with a forward-looking vision for Sino-Gabonese ties. The event, held at the Chinese embassy, brought together top officials and diplomats to honor a legacy of cooperation between the two nations.

The Chinese ambassador to Gabon, Zhou Ping, used the occasion to highlight the depth of relations between Libreville and Beijing, noting that 2024 also commemorates 52 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Gabon. He revealed that this milestone will be further celebrated in November, when Gabon’s President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema is scheduled to travel to China at the invitation of his counterpart, Xi Jinping.

The ambassador also reflected on pivotal moments in China’s modern history, pointing to 2026 as a year of major anniversaries: the 90th anniversary of the Long March victory and the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). “For over a century, the CPC has steered the nation and its armed forces toward historic achievements in national independence, economic progress, and the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era,” he stated before an audience of high-ranking officials and diplomats.

Amidst a backdrop of global instability, the Chinese diplomat reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to peace and dialogue. He underscored the “four global initiatives” championed by President Xi Jinping—focused on development, security, cultural exchange, and international governance—as pillars of China’s vision for a more stable world. These initiatives, he argued, represent “the Chinese wisdom contributing to global peace and prosperity.”

Two recent milestones in military cooperation were cited as tangible proof of this partnership: the 2024 visit of China’s “Peace Ark” hospital ship, which made its second stop in Gabon, and the recent reception of a Chinese military medical mission in Libreville. These exchanges, the ambassador noted, have injected fresh momentum into defense collaboration between the two countries.

The evening also served as an opportunity to introduce Gabon’s diplomatic community to the country’s new military attaché, Colonel Zhang Song, who will now oversee defense relations in Libreville.