China and East African Nations Deepen Law Enforcement Security Ties

Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong co-chaired the Third China-East Africa Law Enforcement and Security Ministerial Dialogue alongside Rwandan Interior Minister Vincent Biruta on September 10 in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province. According to state media reports, the discussions centered on bolstering multilateral police capacity and jointly combating transnational offenses, including terrorism, kidnapping, illegal detention, and telecommunications fraud. On the sidelines, Wang also engaged security counterparts from Guinea and Mongolia, emphasizing bilateral enforcement cooperation and the protection of overseas Chinese personnel and assets.

The dialogue underscores Beijing's evolving footprint in African regional security governance, shifting from high-level political commitments to practical, multilateral policing operations. By targeting transnational crimes such as telecommunications fraud, human trafficking, and kidnappings, China is institutionalizing security cooperation frameworks designed to safeguard Chinese nationals, state-backed enterprises, and major infrastructure investments across the Belt and Road footprint.

China and East African security authorities convened in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, on September 10 to consolidate cross-border policing and security ties during the Third China-East Africa Law Enforcement and Security Ministerial Dialogue, according to Xinhua News Agency. The meeting was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong alongside Rwandan Minister of Interior Vincent Biruta. Addressing the delegation, Wang remarked that since the establishment of the dialogue mechanism, strategic mutual trust between Chinese and East African law enforcement agencies has steadily expanded, yielding concrete progress in operational cooperation and institutional capacity building. Wang called on participating states to advance joint security governance under the framework of China's global initiatives. Specifically, he urged both sides to improve consultative mechanisms and pool resources to target transnational threats, highlighting counterterrorism, kidnappings, illegal detentions, and telecommunications fraud as core priorities for joint enforcement. Representatives from the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (EAPCCO) and the Executive Director of the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL), Jalel Chelba, attended the proceedings. In their remarks, regional representatives acknowledged Beijing's sustained assistance to African policing bodies and voiced willingness to deepen practical enforcement coordination to safeguard regional stability. On the sidelines of the dialogue—held alongside the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum 2026 Conference—Wang held separate bilateral talks with security ministers from West Africa and Central Asia. In talks with Guinean Minister of Security and Civil Protection Bachir Diallo, Wang reiterated China's commitment to implementing the consensus reached at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit. Diallo expressed an interest in studying Chinese law enforcement practices to elevate Guinea's domestic capabilities. Meeting with Mongolian Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs Sainbuyan Amarsaikhan, Wang stressed personnel exchanges and joint efforts against cross-border criminality. Amarsaikhan affirmed Ulaanbaatar's readiness to coordinate closely with Beijing to ensure the safety and security of Chinese personnel, institutions, and commercial projects operating within Mongolia.