Noboa's China visit to deepen Ecuador-China ties

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa is set to make his first state visit to China this month, a trip that comes as the two countries mark a decade of their comprehensive strategic partnership and seek to turn growing trade ties into broader cooperation.

For Noboa, the visit will be another step in a relationship that has become increasingly important to Ecuador's economic strategy. The 38-year-old former businessman has stressed that Ecuador should maintain commercial ties with a range of major economies.

Growing trade ties

Ecuador's exports grew 6.4% in 2025, according to its central bank, with shrimp, cocoa, bananas and mining products among the main drivers of exports, while China has become a major destination for those products and a key source of imports.

The trade relationship between the two countries has gained even stronger momentum since the China-Ecuador free trade agreement took effect in May 2024. According to China's official data, Ecuador's exports to China jumped 10.1% in the first eight months after the agreement entered into force, far outpacing its overall annual growth.

In 2025, bilateral trade reached $17.33 billion, up 24% year-on-year, with Ecuador's exports to China rising 19.3% to $9.55 billion, generating a trade surplus of $1.77 billion for Ecuador. The upward trend continued into 2026, with bilateral trade reaching $4.756 billion in the first quarter, up 21.42% from a year earlier, while Ecuador's exports to China rose 13.8% to $2.663 billion.

The agreement is gradually lowering tariffs and improving market access, creating room for Ecuador to expand sales of agricultural and other products while giving Chinese companies greater access to the Ecuadorian market. In an interview with Ecuadorian media last month, Gao Zhenting, China's consul general in Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador, said China and Ecuador have highly complementary economies, with trade and economic cooperation serving as a key foundation of bilateral ties and delivering tangible benefits to both peoples.

He emphasized that China supports trade and investment liberalization and seeks to expand the global economic "pie" rather than pursue trade surpluses, highlighting China's vast consumer market and investment potential as opportunities for Ecuador.

Broader cooperation

The broader bilateral relationship provides a foundation for the growing economic integration. China and Ecuador established diplomatic ties in 1980, formed a strategic partnership in 2015 and upgraded it to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016. Ecuador and China signed a Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) memorandum of understanding in 2018.

Cooperation has extended into energy, mining, electricity and infrastructure, while the two governments have continued to identify clean energy, infrastructure and finance as areas for further collaboration.

Noboa's own engagement with China has also accelerated. During his stay in Beijing in June 2025, he witnessed the signing of a cooperation plan on promoting the BRI. Noboa said Ecuador looked forward to deepening relations with China and increasing cooperation in trade, science and technology, culture, education and youth.

The timing of the new visit is notable. China and Ecuador are marking 46 years of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership, while recent exchanges have underscored support for expanding cooperation. Chinese officials have said they are ready to consolidate political mutual trust and deepen cooperation across fields, while Ecuadorian lawmakers have voiced broad support for stronger ties with China.