page_title: China–Democratic Republic of the Congo relations
section_title: Establishing relations with the ROC and PRC
hierarchical_section_title: China–Democratic Republic of the Congo relations / Establishing relations with the ROC and PRC
caption_attribution_description: 中文: 1965-01 天安门 支持刚果反对美国
context_page_description: The People's Republic of China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have had peaceful diplomatic relations, and growing economic relations, since 1971. Relations between the two countries go back to 1887, when representatives of the Congo Free State established contacts with the court of the Qing dynasty then ruling China. The first treaty between the two powers was signed in 1898. The Free State became a Belgian colony in 1908, but when it gained its independence in 1960 it established formal relations with the Republic of China, which had replaced the Qing in 1912 but was relegated to the island of Taiwan after 1949. Over the next decade, Congolese recognition was switched several times between the ROC and the PRC before it settled finally on the latter in 1971. At the time, the Congo was known as Zaire. In the 21st century, Chinese investment in the DRC and Congolese exports to China have grown rapidly.
context_section_description: In October 1960, the newly independent DRC, then called the Republic of the Congo, established diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (ROC). The DRC changed recognition in February 1961 to the People's Republic of China (PRC), changing back again to recognise the ROC later the same year in September. Relations were again established between the DRC, then known as the Republic of Zaire, and the People's Republic of China in November 1972 and have remained intact since.
  During the time that the DRC/Zaire recognised Taiwan, between 1961 and 1971, the PRC supported and provided material support to anti-Zairian rebels. After Zaire's president, Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, reverted recognition back to the PRC eight Chinese leaders visited Zaire between 1978 and 1995.  Mobutu himself visited the PRC five times despite the fact that their relationship was not very close at the time.
caption: A mass rally in Tiananmen Square of Beijing in 1965 against U.S. intervention in Congo-Léopoldville.
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