China reaffirmed its commitment to working with countries on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea to promote peace, security, stability and development in the region at a seminar that concluded in Shanghai on Thursday.
Hosted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, the seminar brought together maritime armed force leaders and defense attaches from 18 nations, including Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria.
Hu Zhongming, commander of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, emphasized the Gulf of Guinea's strategic importance during his keynote speech at the opening ceremony on Wednesday.
Describing the current security situation in the Gulf of Guinea as generally stable, he warned that countries in West Africa still face risks and challenges, and called for further collaboration.
"The security and stability of the Gulf of Guinea is of great significance to countries in the region, Africa and beyond. We need to work together to build a bay of friendship, cooperation, prosperity and security," Hu said.
The seminar, themed "Gulf of Guinea maritime security and cooperation," marked the first in-person international dialog conducted by the PLA Navy on regional security in the Gulf of Guinea. It follows an initial virtual meeting in 2022, during which participants explored maritime security challenges under the framework of "a maritime community with a shared future."
China's pragmatic cooperation with African nations has deepened in recent years, with the Chinese Navy conducting over 60 delegation or fleet visits to the continent.
Hu noted that these efforts are guided by principles of equality, mutual benefit and sincerity.
Despite a recent decline in piracy and armed robbery, the UN Security Council continues to urge deeper maritime coordination in the gulf's shipping lanes.
Obstacles hindering the implementation of the Yaounde Architecture, the security framework between Gulf of Guinea nations, include funding, infrastructure and the allocation of resources.
"Measures have been taken to try to counter such threats, either with international resources or through cooperative security, since the resources that are available in some countries are clearly insufficient, or not the most appropriate," said Armindo Antonio da Graca, commander of the Cabo Verde Coast Guard, in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).
In recent years, China has deepened maritime cooperation with Africa, including on counter-terrorism and anti-piracy operations. Chinese hospital ship Ark Peace has provided medical services to about 200,000 people in 15 countries, during three visits to the continent.
"China's navy can play an important role by providing and encouraging other regional navies to be able to participate actively in the Yaounde Code of Conduct, and also in the areas of training, particularly in law enforcement and operations -- these are some of the areas that the PLA Navy can definitely impact on the overall implementation of the Yaounde Code of Conduct and the architecture," Emmanuel Ogalla, Nigerian chief of Naval Staff, told CGTN.
The China-Africa partnership aims to build an all-weather community with a shared future for the new era, according to the Beijing Declaration from the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa cooperation.
"The positioning of China-Africa relations has now put forward requirements and provided an impetus for security cooperation between China and African countries. China will play its due role for peace and stability on the continent," said Gao Zichuan, professor of People's Liberation Army Naval Command Academy.
The Gulf of Guinea, Africa's largest gulf and the third-largest globally, is rich in natural resources. While its overall security situation remains stable, the region faces many security challenges.
China committed to promoting stability, security in Gulf of Guinea: PLA Navy commander
