On January 15, 2018 local time, Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Foreign Minister Noel Nelson Messone of Gabon in Libreville.

Wang Yi said that under the guidance of leaders of the two states, China-Gabon relations have maintained stable and sound development for a long period of time with cooperation in various fields being steadily pushed forward. As Gabon’s development has ushered in a new stage and socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, China-Gabon relations are now at a new starting point. Both sides should take concrete measures to implement China-Gabon comprehensive cooperative partnership. Both countries should become cooperative partners with mutual trust and support, continue to understand and firmly support each other on issues concerning respective core interests, and further consolidate political foundation of China-Gabon relations. China and Gabon should become cooperative partners featuring mutual benefit and win-win results and common development. China supports Gabon in choosing a path of economic diversification, and is willing to continue to provide Gabon with necessary supports in the field of infrastructure, carry out industrial cooperation with Gabon mainly in such advantageous areas as mining, fishery, forestry and agriculture, and actively explore new modes of mutually beneficial cooperation so as to help Gabon transfer its resource advantages to development results and enhance its capacity for independent development. The two sides should become cooperative partners that maintain peace and security, and strengthen cooperation in the field of military defense to demonstrate the high-level of bilateral relations and mutual trust. Both sides should become cooperative partners that cope with regional and global challenges, strengthen communication and coordination on climate change and other international and regional issues, and safeguard common interests of developing countries. China appreciates Gabon's consistent commitment to developing China-Africa relations, and hopes that Gabon could play an active role in China’s holding the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit this year and elevating China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.

Noel Nelson Messone said that President El Hadj Omar Bongo paid a successful visit to China in 2016 and made a joint decision with President Xi Jinping to lift Gabon-China relations to comprehensive cooperative partnership, ushering the bilateral relations into a historic new stage. As a trusted friend of Gabon, China provides Gabon with sincere and long-term support in political, economic and other areas, playing an important role in Gabon’s development and rejuvenation. Gabon will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China policy and support China’s legitimate proposition on issues concerning China such as the South China Sea. It is hoped that both sides continue to conduct mutually beneficial cooperation in the fields of trade, infrastructure, agriculture, education, health and defense. Since China’s “Belt and Road” initiative will make important contributions to helping build an open world economy and promoting Africa's development, Gabon stands ready to join it. The Gabonese side is willing to play an active role in the successful holding of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and further deepening Africa-China cooperation.