China–Mauritania relations
History
History
-------

The government of Mauritania enjoys close ties with the [government of the People's Republic of China](/wiki/Government_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China "Government of the People's Republic of China"). In recent years, they have signed a series of agreements and exchanged a series of diplomatic gestures that have strengthened their relationship.
[thumb\|right\|300px\|[President](/wiki/President_of_Mauritania "President of Mauritania") [Moktar Ould Daddah](/wiki/Moktar_Ould_Daddah "Moktar Ould Daddah") and Premier [Zhou Enlai](/wiki/Zhou_Enlai "Zhou Enlai") tour [Beijing Capital Steel Factory](/wiki/Shougang_Group "Shougang Group") in 1967\.The](/wiki/File:1968-01_1967%E5%B9%B410%E6%9C%88_%E6%AF%9B%E9%87%8C%E5%A1%94%E5%B0%BC%E4%BA%9A%E5%85%83%E9%A6%96%E8%8E%AB%E5%85%8B%E5%A1%94%E5%B0%94%C2%B7%E4%B9%8C%E5%B0%94%E5%BE%B7%C2%B7%E8%BE%BE%E8%BE%BE%E8%B5%AB%E4%B8%8E%E5%91%A8%E6%81%A9%E6%9D%A5%E5%8F%82%E8%A7%82%E9%A6%96%E9%83%BD%E9%92%A2%E9%93%81%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8.jpg "1968-01 1967年10月 毛里塔尼亚元首莫克塔尔·乌尔德·达达赫与周恩来参观首都钢铁公司.jpg") Chinese government has recently shown particular interest in Mauritania's [oil](/wiki/Oil "Oil") deposits. Oil production in Mauritania began in February 2006, and by May of the same year the Chinese and Mauritanian governments signed an agreement on social and economic cooperation. In October 2006, the state\-owned [China National Petroleum Corporation](/wiki/China_National_Petroleum_Corporation "China National Petroleum Corporation") began drilling oil wells in Mauritania, and has three other prospecting permits in Mauritania. The Mauritanian government sees oil production as a significant means of boosting economic growth.

During the campaign for Mauritania's [presidential elections](/wiki/2007_Mauritanian_presidential_election "2007 Mauritanian presidential election") in March 2007, candidate [Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi](/wiki/Sidi_Ould_Cheikh_Abdallahi "Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi") praised Mauritania's growing ties with China, promising to "continue the path of strengthening the bilateral relations with all my efforts".


Has there been any controversy over China's involvement in Mauritania's oil production?