Editing Armed Forces of Gabon (section)

== Ceremonial traditions ==
* In April 2001, then-Defense Minister Bongo visited China, during which he reviewed the [[Beijing Garrison Honor Guard Battalion|PLA honor guard]] upon arrival, and proposed to his Chinese counterpart [[Chi Haotian]] that members of the battalion will go to Gabon to help set up and train professional ceremonial units in the Gabonese military. In March 2003, after just under three years, the [[Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China|Chinese Ministry of National Defense]] sent four officers led by Lieutenant Colonel Wang Yuanjing to [[Libreville]] by the end of November of that year, after which they stayed to train the Gabonese guard of honour for more than six months.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://en.people.cn/200405/21/eng20040521_143989.html|title=People's Daily Online -- PLA helps traing &#91;sic&#93; honor guard for Gabon|website=en.people.cn|access-date=2020-05-10|archive-date=2022-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326090352/http://en.people.cn/200405/21/eng20040521_143989.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.cn/misc/2009-09/29/content_1429235.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012211510/http://www.gov.cn/misc/2009-09/29/content_1429235.htm|url-status=dead|title=Gabon's Communication minister appreciates good Gabono-Chinese relations|archive-date=2019-10-12|access-date=2021-09-17}}</ref>
*The Principal Music Band of the Gabonese Defense Forces was created in 2010. It brings together elements of the Band of the National Gendarmerie, the Armed Forces and the [[Prytanée militaire de Libreville]]. It has a staff of 50 professional currently directed by Captain Jean-Baptiste Rabimbinongo. Its conductor, Lieutenant Léa Nzoufa Nze, was the first woman to conduct a military band to the [[Saumur International Festival of Military Bands]]. It takes part in many official ceremonies such as National Flag Day and the military parade marking the country's independence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.comitedesfetes-saumur.fr/musiques-et-artistes-invites-2019-p71.html|title=Festival international de Musiques militaires Saumur 2019; Musiques et artistes invités 2019|website=www.comitedesfetes-saumur.fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206055039/http://www.comitedesfetes-saumur.fr/musiques-et-artistes-invites-2019-p71.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-02-06|access-date=2021-09-17}}</ref>