Relationship dossier
People's Republic of China
Mauritania
Relationship assessment
Longstanding ties marked by Chinese-backed infrastructure and medical cooperation, alongside Mauritania’s support for the one-China principle.
People's Republic of China toward Mauritania
+45China has supported infrastructure development in Mauritania, including helping build Nouakchott’s Friendship Port. Chinese medical teams have also provided services in the country, and the governments have pursued economic cooperation, including through Belt and Road engagement.
Mauritania toward People's Republic of China
+40Mauritania has supported the one-China principle and pursued economic and development cooperation with China. Its government has participated in bilateral engagement that has included Chinese-backed infrastructure and medical cooperation.
Overall relationship
+45The relationship has an enduring development-cooperation foundation, including Chinese involvement in major infrastructure and medical services, alongside Mauritania’s support for the one-China principle. The breadth of cooperation is meaningful, but the scale and implementation of more recent initiatives are unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
China and Mauritania have maintained a long-running relationship involving Chinese-backed infrastructure and medical cooperation. China helped build Nouakchott’s Friendship Port, and Chinese medical teams have served in Mauritania. Mauritania has supported the one-China principle, while the two governments have pursued broader economic cooperation, including Belt and Road engagement. The scale and implementation of more recent projects are less clear.
Key developments
China helped build Nouakchott’s Friendship Port, which opened in 1986.
Chinese medical teams began providing services in Mauritania as part of bilateral cooperation.
Mauritania and China pursued Belt and Road economic cooperation.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope and implementation of Chinese-backed infrastructure and economic projects in Mauritania are unclear.
- The scale and continuity of Mauritanian medical and other bilateral cooperation with China are unclear.