According to The Wall Steet Journal, the Chinese navy is building a base in Equatorial Guinea, thereby securing access to the Atlantic [1].

In October, Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer visited the country to prompt President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo to turn down the Chinese offer, but to no avail.

The base is adjacent to the commercial port of Bata, which is linked to Gabon and the Central African Republic.

China already has a base in Djibouti and is building an additional one in the United Arab Emirates.

[1] “China Seeks First Military Base on Africa’s Atlantic Coast, U.S. Intelligence Finds”; Michael M. Philipps, The Wall Street Journal, December 6, 2021.