There has been much ado about a possible Chinese navy base in West Africa. It almost seems more a matter of ‘when’ then a matter of ‘if’. But if China does indeed want a base there, what would be a likely spot? In this article, I focus on 3 Chinese port projects on the Gulf of Guinea and investigate their potential as a military base. The Gulf of Guinea region is of particular importance with widespread concerns over maritime security. The list of worrisome incidents includes piracy and armed robbery at sea, trafficking, oil theft, and illegal fishing. This matters as it may provide China the reason it needs to build a base: protecting its interests – vessels, companies and citizens – in a perceived hostile environment. The ports discussed are: Port of Bata, Equatorial Guinea. Port of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Port of Lekki, Nigeria.
Continue reading “Chinese Ports and Terminals on the Gulf of Guinea”