Chinese, Gulf of Guinea navies hold virtual symposium on security in the region

BEIJING - Navies from China and the Gulf of Guinea met virtually on Tuesday for a symposium on the security situation in the Gulf of Guinea, a defense spokeswoman said Thursday.

Wu Qian, a spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense, said the virtual event saw participation from the Gulf of Guinea countries' naval and coast guard leaders, and officials from relevant regional organizations.

Dong Jun, the commander of the People's Liberation Army, spoke at the event and gave a keynote speech.

There were in-depth discussions and exchanges on topics such as maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and sustainable economic development, the role of maritime forces in the Gulf of Guinea and new prospects for China-Africa maritime security cooperation.

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The symposium was intended to strengthen maritime security cooperation between the Chinese military and the armed forces of countries around the Gulf of Guinea, the spokesperson said.