US sends officials to Equatorial Guinea as it tussles with China for influence

Name: Top Chinese diplomat tours East Africa to promote peace, ensure stability for belt and road allies
Uploaded: 2022-02-17T15:00:23.000Z
Duration: 1 min 45 s
Description: Top Chinese diplomat tours East Africa to promote peace, ensure stability for belt and road allies

Diplomatic and military officials meet president and vice-president of the Central African country, where China reportedly hopes to build a naval base

The American delegation spoke of strengthening cooperation in the military sector, Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue tweets

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Molly Phee, the US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, meets Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue. Photo: Twitter

Jevans Nyabiage

Published: 11:00pm, 17 Feb 2022Updated: 1:11am, 18 Feb 2022

Senior US diplomatic and military officials have visited Equatorial Guinea, reportedly to convince it to reject China’s plan to build a military base on the Central African nation’s Atlantic Coast.

Molly Phee, the US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, was hosted by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo on Tuesday “to discuss issues of bilateral interest, how to work together to combat trafficking, and how to address climate change to ensure greater prosperity and security”, said the US embassy in Malabo, the capital.

The Wall Street Journal last week reported that the officials intended to use the trip to persuade Equatorial Guinea against allowing China’s mooted base to proceed.

Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the president’s son and heir, met an American delegation that included Judd Devermont, the US National Security Council’s Africa strategy adviser, and US Air Force Major General Kenneth Ekman, of US Africa Command.

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Top Chinese diplomat tours East Africa to promote peace, ensure stability for belt and road allies

The vice-president tweeted that the US delegation had talked “about strengthening our cooperation in the military sector”. Another tweet by the US embassy said that the two sides had “exchanged views on maritime security and the importance of keeping the Gulf of Guinea safe”.

The Journal had previously reported in December that China was wooing Equatorial Guinea with the aim of building a naval base in Bata, the country’s biggest city, where China has rebuilt and extended a commercial port. Its article cited classified American intelligence reports and unnamed US officials.