Forty Five Years of Working Hand in Hand: A Review and Outlook on Friendship Between China and Djibouti

Since the formal establishment of diplomatic relations in 1979， China and Djibouti have made significant progress in developing bilateral relations， with the two countries supporting and cooperating with each other and the two peoples sharing a strong bond. Especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China， with the joint efforts of China and Djibouti， the bilateral relations have enjoyed comprehensive and rapid development. Such architecture as the People’s Palace and Hassan Gouled Stadium built with aid from China， have become monumental complex as well as a witness to the profound friendship between the two peoples. In addition， a large number of bilateral cooperation projects such as the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway and Doraleh Multipurpose Port are also making steady progress. Other projects such as the Arta hospital， Ethiopia-Djibouti cross-border potable water project， basic education schools， national library and archives and social housing， will also bring tangible benefits to the people of Djibouti， contributing to further and deeper friendly cooperation between China and Djibouti.

China-Djibouti Cooperation in Regional Security

Located at the intersection of the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea， Djibouti has served as an important crossroads connecting Africa and Asia and thus is of great strategic significance for maintaining regional security. Since the end of the 20th century， about one-fifth of international merchant ships have sailed cross the Red Sea， the stability of which is highly relevant to the health of international economy. In 2009， more than 20 countries， coordinated by the United Nations， jointly carried out escort missions in the Gulf of Aden. Ever since， the Djibouti government has invited warships from various countries to access supplies and build military facilities within the country. Such efforts not only beef up Djibouti’s defense capabilities， but also to some extent safeguard the security and stability of the surrounding areas.

China and Djibouti have engaged in strategic communication and pragmatic cooperation at multiple levels in the field of military security. They work together to strengthen exchanges of experience and capacity building in counter-terrorism， jointly combat cross-border crimes， especially maritime crimes， and maintain peace and stability of the Red Sea. Through friendly consultations， the Chinese People’s Liberation Army put into operation its overseas support base Djibouti on August 1st， 2017. The base helps China fulfill with a higher efficiency its international obligations such as humanitarian aid operations and escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia as well as boosts the economic and social development of Djibouti.

Kadiye， the editor-in-chief of La Nation， emphasized that “China’s efforts to ensure maritime transportation safety through escort and combating piracy are not only essential for China， but also have far-reaching impacts on Djibouti.” He said that since Djibouti’s economy largely depends on ports， security in the Gulf of Aden directly decides the cargo volume. China has made tremendous contributions to ensuring maritime transportation safety and the cooperation between China and Djibouti in the fields of escort， supplies and security are based on the principle of mutual benefits and win-win outcomes. Such cooperation in regional security， covering various aspects and being long-term in nature， is aimed at jointly safeguarding peace and stability and promoting economic development and social progress of the region.

China-Djibouti Cooperation in Economy and Trade

China and Djibouti have carried out extensive trade and investment cooperation， boosting regional economic growth and prosperity as well as providing effective safeguard for regional peace and stability. The two sides have jointly advanced the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation， reached important consensus on the vision of Global Development Initiative and formulated relevant action plans. These measures have effectively consolidated the foundation of political mutual trust between China and Djibouti， deepened pragmatic cooperation in economy and various other fields， and elevated the bilateral relations to a new level.

China’s infrastructure projects in Djibouti cover many fields， the successful implementation of which provides strong support and guarantees the local economic and social development. In terms of hospitals and schools， China aided the construction of the Republic of Djibouti Hospital and the Dodiwaregal Middle School， helping to uplift local healthcare and education levels. In terms of transportation， China has aided the construction of the main road linking the capital city of Djibouti and Zouerate， the bridge across the Tajul Strait and other infrastructure projects， improving local transportation conditions and accelerating economic development. To finance the infrastructure construction， China proactively participates in the financing cooperation for infrastructure projects in Djibouti. By providing loans， guarantees and other financial tools， China helps the Djibouti government address challenges in financing and speeds up project construction.