After China announced it would provide security assistance to the Lianhe Zaobao, sources said, the United States is also developing economic and security assistance packages for the strategically important Central African country of Gabon. US media said the move was to“Prevent China from building a military base in Gabon”. Experts interviewed by the Global Times believe that China’s military cooperation with Africa aims to help African countries improve their national defense autonomy and military defense capabilities, this is different from what the US and other Western countries do.
The Forum on China–Africa Cooperation Summit was held in Beijing on September 4-6. The Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027) , released during the Forum, Forum on China–Africa Cooperation that China is ready to work with Africa to establish a partnership for the implementation of the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and to create a GSI cooperation model zone, advance cooperation on global security initiatives. To provide 1 billion yuan of free military aid to the African side, support the building of African countries’ armies, train 6,000 military personnel for the African side, and invite 500 young African military officers to visit China, china-africa military joint exercises and training, joint patrols, implementation of“Help Africa get rid of mine action.”. We will deepen exchanges and cooperation in Belt and Road security, train 1,000 police law enforcement officers from the African side, and jointly safeguard cooperation projects and personnel safety.
After China announced the plan, Bloomberg quoted sources as saying the United States plans to Gabon to provide“Supporting assistance projects,” including the country’s special forces training. Reported that Gabon President Nguema will visit the United States in late September or early October, when the United States will “Officially” Gabon Assistance Program. The US plan will also include helping Gabon build a radar system to monitor illegal fishing, expanding cooperation between Gabon and West Virginia National Guard of the United States, and helping to protect Gabon’s national parks.
US media said the US did so to“Prevent China from expanding its military presence in Africa”. Campbell, the United States Deputy Secretary of State, “Warned” when he met Nguema in Gabon in July, Bloomberg quoted sources as saying, any chinese-built military training facility could be a“Prelude to a more permanent presence” and“A repeat of what happened in Djibouti”. Cohen, the American Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, also declared that the Chinese had originally built only a logistics facility in Djibouti, “But now this facility has morphed into a fairly large naval base”. According to Bloomberg, Gabon’s west bank faces the Atlantic Ocean more than Djibouti’s and is closer to U.S. territory on the other side of the Atlantic. The threat to the United States would be greater if China established a military base in Gabon, “Which would provide China with a window into the American military developments.”.
In response, military expert Zhang Junshe said in an interview with the Global Times on September 8 that china-africa cooperation is based on the principle of win-win cooperation. In the area of military cooperation, China and Africa have insisted that the relevant assistance and cooperation plans come without any political conditions, do not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries or target any third country. He added that the Chinese military has made a significant contribution to peace and security in Africa, which can not be discredited by some Western countries. The ultimate goal of China’s military cooperation with African countries, including military assistance, is to help African countries improve their national defense autonomy and military defense capabilities.
“This is completely different from the practices of the US and other Western countries in Africa. Some Western countries have attached many conditions to all kinds of aid to Africa, and the ultimate goal is to interfere in the internal affairs of African countries in the name of aid,” Zhang said.