Ecuador’s Noboa Arrives in Beijing for State Visit to China
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa arrived in Beijing early Sunday morning to begin an eight-day state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to Xinhua News. The visit, which runs from August 16 to 23, marks Noboa’s first state visit to China and comes as the two nations celebrate the 10th anniversary of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
A Decade of Deepening Ties
The bilateral relationship has evolved significantly since China and Ecuador established their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016. Ecuador formally joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative in 2018, and the two countries signed a Free Trade Agreement in 2023 that took effect the following year. As the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson noted ahead of the visit, “under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Ecuador relations have maintained good development momentum.”
Trade figures underscore the relationship’s economic weight. In 2025, bilateral trade reached $17.33 billion, with China serving as Ecuador’s second-largest trading partner and Ecuador ranking as China’s eighth-largest trading partner in Latin America, as reported by CCTV News.
Shrimp Trade Dispute at Forefront
The most pressing issue on the agenda is the suspension of 14 Ecuadorian shrimp companies by China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC). The suspensions, initiated in October 2025 and expanded through June 2026, relate to concerns over sodium metabisulfite residues and white spot virus in exported shrimp. Ecuadorian industry groups argue that China changed its testing methodology to include the head and shell of the shrimp rather than just the edible meat, increasing detection of preservative residues.
The stakes are considerable. China is the primary export market for Ecuadorian shrimp, accounting for 51% of Ecuador’s shrimp exports between January and May 2026, with 2025 exports totaling $1.52 billion. As Primicias reported, the Cámara Nacional de Acuacultura has called the situation “serious and requiring urgent attention.”
Luis Alberto Jaramillo, who served as Ecuador’s Minister of Production before being appointed as the new ambassador to China, framed the dispute as fundamentally commercial. “It’s a commercial issue and should be resolved commercially,” he said, according to Primicias.
Broader Asia Tour and Diplomatic Appointments
The China visit is part of a 13-day official tour (August 16-28) that also includes Singapore and Vietnam, authorized by Executive Decree No. 469 signed on August 12, as El Diario reported. The decree states the tour aims to strengthen economic and commercial relations, promote investments, and expand access for Ecuadorian products in Asian markets.
Just two days before departure, Noboa signed Executive Decrees 473 and 474, appointing Luis Alberto Jaramillo Granja as the new ambassador to China and Luis Gerardo Bakker Villacreses as ambassador to the United States, according to Radio Pichincha. The Chinese government communicated its approval of Jaramillo’s appointment on August 13 via a verbal note. Jaramillo, a former Minister of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments and Fisheries who also led Finance and the National Customs Service, brings significant trade expertise to the post.
Balancing Washington and Beijing
The visit highlights Ecuador’s delicate geopolitical balancing act. Noboa has positioned Ecuador as one of the most US-aligned countries in Latin America under the Trump administration, particularly in security cooperation. However, economic realities compel continued engagement with China. As RT en Español noted, the US applies a 10% tariff on Ecuadorian shrimp while China remains the dominant buyer.
Noboa has been explicit about this dual-track approach. “We have to continue trading with the whole world,” he said in a radio interview in April. “We cannot deny that we have a good commercial relationship with China.” The president also noted that trade relations with Russia generate more than 400,000 jobs, particularly in the provinces of El Oro and Los Ríos.
Infrastructure and Mining Negotiations
Beyond the shrimp dispute, several other significant issues are expected to be discussed. The government is committed to signing a 25-year operation and maintenance contract with PowerChina for the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant, Ecuador’s largest, at approximately $46 million per year. The 1,500 MW facility, built by Sinohydro (a PowerChina subsidiary), was formally received by Ecuador in April 2026 after a decade of negotiations over more than 7,600 fissures found in the water distributors.
Mining contract renegotiations also loom large. With Chinese firms now controlling both the Cascabel mega-mine (via Jiangxi Copper Company’s purchase of SolGold in March 2026) and the Mirador mine’s second phase (operated by Ecuacorriente), mining negotiations have become essentially China-China discussions. The government seeks to renegotiate contracts, particularly regarding energy generation requirements, amid a projected energy deficit of approximately 1,300 MW for the 2026-2027 dry season.
Financing and Debt
Ecuador’s financial relationship with China adds another layer of complexity. The country’s debt to Chinese banks stood at $2.215 billion as of August 2025, and the 2026 budget anticipates $764 million in new Chinese financing, including $420 million from Eximbank and $344 million from China Development Bank.
Daniel Lemus, director of the Center for Public Policy Development at ESPOL, cautioned about the terms of any new financing. “If the interest rate is above 8% annually, that’s the same as what could be found in the capital market,” he told Primicias, noting that Chinese loans during the Correo administration were criticized for high interest rates, opaque conditions, and being tied to Chinese construction projects.
What to Watch
President Xi Jinping will hold talks with Noboa, while Premier Li Qiang and NPC Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji will also meet with him. The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed hope that the visit will “further consolidate political mutual trust between the two countries, continue the traditional friendship, and promote new progress in the China-Ecuador Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
Key questions remain: Will China lift the shrimp suspensions during or immediately after the visit? Will the PowerChina contract be signed? What specific agreements will emerge from the talks? And how will the visit affect Ecuador’s relationship with the United States?
As Noboa embarks on this significant diplomatic mission, the outcomes will likely shape the trajectory of China-Ecuador relations for years to come. The visit represents not just a celebration of a decade of partnership, but a critical test of whether both nations can navigate their shared economic interests amid shifting global dynamics.