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Jevans Nyabiage

China has appointed a new ambassador to Libya after its embassy in Tripoli reopened in November, more than a decade after it was shuttered over security concerns.
Ma Xueliang’s appointment was confirmed when he met Libyan charge d’affaires Khaled al-Sayeh in Beijing on January 27 in his new capacity before he left for Tripoli, according to the state-owned Libyan News Agency.
China had closed its embassy in Tripoli in 2014 and moved its diplomatic mission to Tunisia because of the security situation in Libya.
The North African country was embroiled in civil war from 2014 to 2020. China had previously closed down its diplomatic mission and evacuated thousands of Chinese citizens following the 2011 civil war that toppled Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, ending four decades of rule.
The embassy was only briefly reopened before the 2014 closure.
In November, Beijing reopened the embassy with a low-key event that analysts said reflected efforts to maintain its neutrality.
A ceasefire treaty was signed in Libya in 2020 but the country remains deeply divided, with the UN-backed Government of National Unity controlling the west and the rival Government of National Stability in control of the east.
This fragile truce was again tested last week by the assassination of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi – son of the late former leader and one-time heir apparent – who was shot dead at his home in Zintan.

Andrea Ghiselli, a lecturer at the University of Exeter and head of research at the ChinaMed Project, which tracks Beijing’s influence in the Mediterranean, said resuming operations at the Chinese embassy in Tripoli was a pragmatic move.
He said the diplomatic presence would allow China to better protect its economic interests and also to position itself for potential reconstruction opportunities as the situation in Libya stabilised.
Chinese officials have met representatives of the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity since the embassy reopened.
It recently hosted dozens of Chinese companies operating in Libya, and charge d’affaires Liu Jian gave a briefing on the political and economic situation in the country as well as developments in bilateral relations. He urged firms to take security precautions and safeguard the “legitimate rights and interests” of employees, according to a statement released by the embassy.
Liu has also met Libyan officials seeking formal security guarantees for Chinese investors.
In December he travelled to Misrata, where he met the city’s mayor, Mahmoud al-Sougatri, and visited its port and free zone, international airport and the Libyan Iron and Steel Company. Liu affirmed on that trip that China was “willing to actively participate in Libya’s development and reconstruction”.
In recent years, Tripoli has wooed Chinese companies to help with reconstruction efforts, offering investment opportunities in the petroleum and energy sectors as Beijing expands its Belt and Road Initiative in North Africa.
China continues to import oil from Libya and it could seek to buy more. In 2024, China imported US$1.14 billion of crude from Libya. But that was only a fraction of Libya’s US$27.7 billion of total exports that mainly went to Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.
It was also minimal compared to Chinese investment in Libya before the 2011 conflict when some 75 firms were managing 50 major projects worth more than US$20 billion, according to China’s commerce ministry.
The projects ranged from oil to construction to railways and telecoms but they were halted after several sites were raided and staff were injured.
In response to the violence, Beijing conducted its largest ever evacuation of its citizens, involving nearly 36,000 people.
Chinese companies began to return to the country after the Libyan-Chinese Joint Economic Chamber was set up in 2024 with the aim of boosting cooperation on infrastructure and renewables.
Later that year at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mohamed al-Menfi, president of Libya’s Presidential Council, established a strategic partnership.
Xi pledged to help “rebuild the economy and improve livelihoods”, while al-Menfi invited Chinese firms to lead “economic reconstruction” under the belt and road framework.
David Shinn, a China-Africa specialist and professor at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, said: “The return of Chinese companies to Libya – if they return – is far more significant and suggests that China believes prospects for longer term stability are positive in Libya.”
While Beijing recognises the Government of National Unity in Tripoli, it maintains ties with the eastern authorities and agreements were signed last year with Chinese firms for the Benghazi Metro and solar plants in the east.
China has sought to maintain neutrality, calling for stability through dialogue and saying it would not interfere in Libya’s internal affairs.
Ghiselli said it was important for Chinese officials to engage with the Tripoli-based authorities since they controlled the Central Bank of Libya, giving the Government of National Unity the ability to disburse funds, sign contracts and allocate capital.
But he said that should not be read as a sign of deeper political or security involvement in the country.
“China continues to avoid entanglement in Libya’s internal rivalries and prefers to maintain flexibility while engaging cautiously with all relevant actors,” Ghiselli said.
“The reopening signals a return to normal diplomatic operations and a desire to keep a foot in the door in a strategically relevant but still volatile environment.”


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China-Africa relations

China’s new ambassador to Libya Ma Xueliang (left) meets Libyan charge d’affaires Khaled al-Sayeh in Beijing on January 27. Photo: Libyan News Agency

Libyans march to attend the funeral of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi in Bani Walid on Friday. Photo: AP

Son of Libya’s late ruler Gaddafi killed by gunmen who stormed home

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi in 2021, registering to run in presidential elections. Photo: EPA



Saif al-Islam Gaddafi in 2011 as his father’s rule was nearing its end. Photo: AFP

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi (left) in 2021, registering to run in presidential elections. Photo: EPA

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The JF-17 jet was jointly developed by China and Pakistan. Photo: AP 

China makes moves to reopen economic ties with Libya, 13 years after suspending trade

Libya has struggled through years of internal violence and political instability since the 2011 revolution. But now the first steps are being taken to open up the North African nation to Chinese investors again. Photo: AP

Libya’s GNU Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah met Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing where they discussed a possible way back to opening trade and infrastructure projects. Photo: Xinhua

News

China

Diplomacy

Ma Xueliang has been appointed as the new ambassador in Tripoli as Beijing seeks to ‘keep a foot in the door’ despite the volatility


Ma Xueliang has been appointed as the new ambassador in Tripoli as Beijing seeks to ‘keep a foot in the door’ despite the volatility.


China sends envoy to Libya after embassy shuttered for more than a decade

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Ma Xueliang has been appointed as the new ambassador in Tripoli as Beijing seeks to ‘keep a foot in the door’ despite the volatility

Ma Xueliang has been appointed as the new ambassador in Tripoli as Beijing seeks to ‘keep a foot in the door’ despite the volatility