Strategic Adaptation or Development Diplomacy? Chinese Green Investment and Institutional Constraints in Equatorial Guinea’s Energy Transition
PDF

Keywords

Chinese Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
Green Energy Transition
Infrastructure Development
Equatorial Guinea
China–Africa Relation

Abstract

The West African nation of Equatorial Guinea, which has extensive natural resources, has multiple difficulties providing power supplies, building infrastructure, and developing various economic sectors. The worldwide push for green energy and sustainable development has made external influences most notable, particularly through China, which now drives the developmental paths of African nations. China's business strategies in Equatorial Guinea are evaluated by examining its green energy deployment and infrastructure development activities. A qualitative study investigates China's strategic objectives and implementation strategies and assesses prolonged development effects on Equatorial Guinea using policy document analysis, field reports, and expert interviews.

Chinese investments emerge from three fundamental drivers: resource safety, geopolitical control, and Belt and Road Initiative expansion goals. Infrastructure projects delivered better connectivity and energy resources to the nation, yet governance problems, sustainability issues, and local personnel development remain unresolved. The article recommends that China guide its investments toward Equatorial Guinea's sustainable development targets because this alignment would reduce dependency and protect ecological health.

The research expands knowledge on China–Africa relationships by examining Equatorial Guinea in detail and analyzing China's investment trends that reshape African development strategies.

https://doi.org/10.70693/itphss.v3i1.247
PDF

References

Acaru, S. F. (2022). In sentence case (only first word capitalized). Heliyon, 8, 8–9.

Ahmad, M. S. (2022). Does Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) stimulate economic growth in Pakistan? An application of the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL bounds) testing approach. Energies, 5(6).

Akinola, A. O. (2022). COVID-19 and South Africa–China asymmetric relations. World Affairs, 185(3), 587–614.

Appel, H. (2012). Offshore work: Oil, modularity, and the how of capitalism in Equatorial Guinea. American Ethnologist, 39(4), 692–709.

Atitianti, P. A. (2022). Does Chinese foreign direct investment improve the welfare of Africans? Journal of African Business, 23(4), 964–983.

Baughen, S. (2019). Shipping law (6th ed.). Routledge.

Carfora, A., & Scandurra, G. (2024). Boosting green energy transition to tackle energy poverty in Europe. Energy Research & Social Science, 110.

Carter, E. (2023). Political risk assessment for Chinese investment in Africa. Global Finance Review, 15(2), 45–62.

China Daily. (2018, September 25). China Daily. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2018-09/25/content_38044562.htm

Donou-Adonsou, F., & Lim, S. (2018). On the importance of Chinese investment in Africa. Review of Development Finance, 8(1), 63–73.

Ebekozien, A. S. (2023). Unravelling the encumbrances in procurement management of Nigeria’s infrastructure development: Pitfalls and prospects of projects. Property Management, 41(1), 20–40.

Eguegu, O. (2024, June 10). China and Equatorial Guinea: Why their new ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’ matters. The Diplomat. https://thediplomat.com/2024/06/china-and-equatorial-guinea-why-their-new-comprehensive-strategic-partnership-matters/

Ezie, K. N. (2024). Marburg virus outbreak in Equatorial Guinea: Need for speed. Annals of Global Health, 90(1).

Gao, J. L. (2019). Labor relations in China's construction industry. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 145(4), 04019013.

Ghorbani, Y. Z. (2024a). Embracing a diverse approach to a globally inclusive green energy transition: Moving beyond decarbonization and recognizing realistic carbon reduction strategies. Journal of Cleaner Production.

Ghorbani, Y. Z. (2024b). The strategic role of lithium in the green energy transition: Towards an OPEC-style framework for green energy-mineral exporting countries (GEMEC). Resources Policy, 90.

Gomashie, G. A. (2019). Language vitality of Spanish in Equatorial Guinea: Language use and attitudes. Humanities, 17(1).

Government of Equatorial Guinea. (2001). Investment Charter of Equatorial Guinea. Ministry of Economy and Finance.

Government of Equatorial Guinea. (2006, November 3). Hydrocarbons Law No. 8. Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons.

Government of Equatorial Guinea. (n.d.). Investment Promotion Agency. https://www.investinequatorialguinea.com/

Green, M. (2019, April 25). China’s debt diplomacy. Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/04/25/chinas-debt-diplomacy/

Guerra, M. D. M. (2018). Malaria determining risk factors at the household level in two rural villages of mainland Equatorial Guinea. Malaria Journal, 17(1).

Han, J. X. (2023). Green technologies, government stability, and green energy transition in a globalized world: Evidence from E-7 nations. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(40).

Ibrahim, K. H. (2022). Services trade and infrastructure development: Evidence from African countries. Cogent Economics & Finance, 10(1).

Indira, A., & Sharma, R. (2023). Infrastructure development in India: A systematic review. Letters in Spatial and Resource Sciences, 16(1).

International Monetary Fund. (2024). Republic of Equatorial Guinea: 2023 Article IV Consultation—Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Republic of Equatorial Guinea (Country Report No. 24/025). https://www.elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/002/2024/025/article-A001-en.xml

Jain, A. M. (2025a). AI-based content creation and product recommendation applications in e-commerce: An ethical overview. International Journal of Scientific Research in Computer Science, Engineering and Information Technology, 11(1).

Jain, A. M. (2025b). Enhancing e-commerce accessibility with AI-powered chatbots: Integrating accessibility tools and navigation assistants. Journal of Information Systems Engineering and Management, 10(15s).

Jain, A. M. (2025c). The role of predictive analytics in e-commerce conversion rate optimization. Journal of Computer Science and Technology Studies, 7(2), 114–121.

Kalu, K. (2021). Respect and agency are the driving forces behind China-Africa relations. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 17(4), 336–347.

Khan, A. W. (2019). Deficiencies in project governance: An analysis of infrastructure development program. Administrative Sciences, 9(1).

Kotsantonis, S. P. (2016). ESG integration in investment management: Myths and realities. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, 28(2), 10–16.

Large, D. (2008). Beyond “dragon in the bush”: The study of China-Africa relations. African Affairs, 107(426), 45–61.

Miao, M. B. (2021). The impacts of Chinese FDI on domestic investment and economic growth for Africa. Cogent Business and Management, 8(1).

Munjal, S. V. (2022). A comparative analysis of Indian and Chinese FDI into Africa: The role of governance and alliances. Journal of Business Research, 149, 1018–1033.

Nyadera, I. N. (2021). China–Africa relations: Do non-economic drivers matter? Africa Review, 13(2), 175–198.

Ozdel, M. (2014). Multimodal transport documents in international sale of goods. International Company and Commercial Law Review, 25(7), 243–250.

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). (2021, October 28). Green industrial policies key for developing countries to adapt to climate change. https://unctad.org/news/green-industrial-policies-key-developing-countries-adapt-climate-change

U.S. Department of State. (2024). 2024 Investment Climate Statements: Equatorial Guinea. https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-investment-climate-statements/equatorial-guinea/

World Bank. (2025, March 4). Equatorial Guinea country economic memorandum – Building the foundations for renewed, more diversified and inclusive growth. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/equatorialguinea/publication/equatorial-guinea-country-economic-memorandum-2025-building-the-foundations-for-renewed-more-diversified-and-inclusive-growth

Xuemei, Z., & S., J. (2024). Sustainable pathways: ESG disclosure performance and optimization in China. Sustainability.

Zhang, Y. W. (2021). ESG performance and investment in China: An overview and future directions. Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, 11(3), 163–181.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright (c) 2026 JULIO CESAR OBIANG SIMA NZANG, Ying Ying Wang