1. Political relations

China and Mauritania established diplomatic relations on July 19, 1965. Mauritania has always been friendly to China. It sticks to the "one China" principle, and opposes Taiwan's entry into the United Nations. Since Li Denghui concocted the so-called Theory of Two Chinas, Mauritania has reiterated its "one China" stand. China and Mauritania share identical or similar views on many major international issues, rendering long-term support to each other and taking concerted actions in international affairs. Mauritania actively supports China's entry into WTO. China has always expressed appreciation to Mauritania for pursuing of a foreign policy of peace, neutrality, non-alignment and good-neighborliness and supports Mauritania in its effort to safeguard its sovereignty and develop the national economy. In June 1999, China and Mauritania signed the Agreement on Holding Regular Political Consultations between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries.

Major exchange of  visits include:

China: Vice Premier Li Peng (May 1984), Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress Wu Jieping (May 1995), Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen (Jan.1997), Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan (Feb. 2000) and Vice Chairman Li Guixian of the CPPCC (July,2000), In 2002, Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Zhou Keren visited Mauritania, In 2002, Wang Zhaoyue, Deputy Secretary of the Anhui Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, visited Mauritania.

Mauritania: President Daddah (Oct.1967, Sept.1974 and April 1977), Chairman of National Military Committee Haidallah (May 1980), President Taya (Feb.1986, Sept.1993), Minister of Fishery and Maritime Economy Dah (Dec.1993), Chairman of National Assembly Baba and General Secretary of the Ruling Party Boubacar(April 1997), Minister of Equipment and Transportation Deyna(July 1997),Chief of General Staff Colonel Boukhreiss (June 1998), Minister of Public Office, Labor, Youth and Sports Sidi(Oct.1998), Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ahmed (June 1999), Minister of Fishery and Maritime Economy (Oct. 1999), Minister of Trade, Handicraft and Tourism (April, 2000), General Secretary of the Democratic Social Republican Party(June, 2000), Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ahmed (Oct. 2000) and Minister of Economic Affairs and Development (Oct. 2000).    

2. Economic and trade relations and economic and technical cooperation

Since 1967, China has provided a certain amount of economic assistance to Mauritania.

Since 1982, Chinese companies have begun to undertake contracted projects in Mauritania, focusing mainly on farmlands and water conservancy projects. Chinese laborers are mainly involved in Mauritania's fishery fields.

China-Mauritania cooperation in fishery began in 1991 and the Agreement on Fishery Cooperation between Chinese and Mauritanian government was signed in August the same year.

Trade Relations between China and Mauritania was initiated in 1964 and the two governments signed agreement on cash trade in 1967. In 1984 the two governments signed the Agreement on Establishing Joint Committee of Economy and Trade between China and Mauritania. The volume of trade between China and Mauritania in 2001 was US$34,240,000. The main commodities China exports to Mauritania are tea, textile, light industrial products and machinery and electronic products. Arabic glue is the main product China imports from Mauritania.

3. Exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, public health and sports

The two countries signed the agreement on cultural cooperation between Chinese and Mauritanian government in 1967. Currently, there are altogether 15 Mauritanian students in China.

China began to send medical teams to Mauritania in June 1968. The first Chinese medical station was set up in Mauritania in Nov 1977. There are altogether 27 people in the Chinese medical team currently in Mauritania, which is so far the 22nd that China has ever sent to Mauritania and working at 4 stations in Nouakchott, Kiffa and Selibabi.

(Chinese Foreign Ministry October 10, 2006)