Economic and trade cooperation acts as the “engine” of  China-Côte d’Ivoire relations. We must seize the opportunity of jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative to strengthen the alignment of our development strategies and promote high-quality and sustainable common development of both countries.

—Xi Jinping, Remarks at Talks with President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire, 30 August 2018

As Africa’s top producer of natural rubber, Côte d’Ivoire boasts ample sunshine, fertile land and extensive rubber plantations.

Zhu Chen, Chairman of Mainland Group, has been engaged in the rubber industry for many years. In 2017, at the age of 32, Zhu traveled alone to Côte d’Ivoire to conduct an inspection. Recognizing the advantages of the country’s local resources, he decided to deepen his involvement in the rubber industry there.

Mainland Group’s first rubber processing plant in Côte d’Ivoire began operation in the southern town of Dabou in 2020. Two years later, its second plant in Diéké began operation, followed by its third plant in San Pedro at the end of August 2024. The three plants now have a combined annual capacity of around 400,000 tons, accounting for one-third of Côte d’Ivoire’s total annual rubber output.

The Industrial Promotion Initiative is the first of the Eight Major Initiatives for China-Africa Cooperation. Hunan enterprises represented by Mainland Group have invested and established operations in Africa, growing together with local markets. They have opened up broad markets for local specialty industries, boosted local economic and social development, and yielded more fruitful results in Hunan-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

Adama Dosso, Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to China:

The commissioning of the rubber processing plant has effectively increased Côte d’Ivoire’s natural rubber processing capacity and the added value of its products, boosted local economic development and benefited local residents. We look forward to further broadening the scope of economic and trade cooperation with Chinese enterprises going forward.

Philippe D. Legre, Prefect of the Lower Sassandra Region, Côte d’Ivoire:

The establishment of Mainland Group’s Dieque Rubber Processing Plant in the Lower Sassandra Region has delivered significant benefits to the local economy. We hope more Chinese enterprises will invest here, and the local government will provide the utmost support.

Bruno Bonaventure, Resource Supervisor at the Ivory Coast Association for Agricultural Research and Consulting:

The Chinese plant has enabled the local processing of Ivory Coast rubber, increasing the added value of our products. We wish to extend our sincere gratitude to China!

Stéphane Aka-Anghui,  Executive Director of the General Confederation of Enterprises of Côte d’Ivoire:

The Third China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo provides an opportunity to strengthen ties between our two countries. We look forward to using these platforms to establish more and deeper partnerships with Chinese enterprises and investors, thereby accelerating the transformation of trade and investment intentions between China and Côte d’Ivoire into concrete actions.