Chinese Government provides $6 million interest-free loan for Malabo Television Center Construction Project

In 2002, China’s Ministry of Commerce and the Government of Equatorial Guinea signed a $6 interest-free loan agreement for the Malabo Television Center Construction Project. This project involved the construction of the headquarters building for the state-run radio and television company, Radio Televisión de Guinea Ecuatorial (RTVGE), in Malabo. On December 13, 2004, Dalian International Corporation signed a project implementation agreement with China’s Ministry of Commerce (see ''援赤几马拉博电视中心项目签订实施合同'' and ''Malabo Broadcast & TV Centre, Equatorial Guinea''). Construction began on August 28, 2005. Then, on August 31, 2005, Ms. Plyfi Cassio Opo Barilla, Secretary of State for News, Radio and Television, and Secretary-General Ramon Bengono led the Director of Information and other relevant personnel to inspect the project (see ''我援建赤几电视中心项目正式开工''). Construction ended in September 2006. The project was officially handed over to the Equatorial Guinean Government on January 2, 2007 (see ''我援建赤几电视中心项目正式开工'' and ''赤道几内亚外交部部长视察我援赤几电视中心竣工项目'' and ''李肇星出访非洲七国落实援助'' and ''经济及市场环境'').

Additional details

This project is also known as the National Television Center Construction Project and the RTVGE Construction Project. The Chinese project title is 马拉博电视中心目 or 援赤几马拉博电视中心项目 or 援赤几马拉博电视中心项目 or 赤道几内亚马拉博广播电视中心. The Spanish project title is Centro de Televisión de Malabo or Rehabilitacion del edificio sede de la Radio Television Guinea Ecuatorial en Malabo. Since loan terms for the interest-free loan are unavailable, AidData has set maturity period to 20 years by default and grace period to 10 years by default per China's Foreign Assistance White Paper (http://www.cidca.gov.cn/2018-08/06/c_129925064_3.htm) which states that the maturity period of interest-free loans is 20 years, with a drawdown period of 5 years, grace period of 5 years, and repayment over 10 years. AidData treats the drawdown period as providing 5 years of additional grace.

Number of official sources

17

Number of unofficial sources

3