China, Angola strengthen ties
Nations agree to bolster mutual trust, upgrade cooperation after Xi hosts Lourenco in Beijing
China and Angola announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, as the two sides agreed on a slew of measures to bolster political mutual trust and build up pragmatic cooperation.
The announcement was made on March 15 as President Xi Jinping hosted Angolan President Joao Lourenco, who was making his second state visit to China in six years, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, after a welcoming ceremony that included a guard of honor.
According to a joint statement, the two sides agreed to steps on jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind, promoting the high-quality building of the Belt and Road, and implementing the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative.
Xi told his guest that cooperation between China and Angola, as part of South-South cooperation, represents mutual help between good friends, which is mutually beneficial and winwin by nature.
“In the face of a global landscape fraught with changes and turbulence, China and Angola should continue to move forward, firmly support each other, share development achievements, and enhance the level of friendly cooperation,” he said.
The president pledged support for Angola in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and development interests, exploring a modernization path suitable for its national conditions, and realizing national development and rejuvenation.
He underlined the solid foundation and strong complementarity of cooperation between the two nations, and noted the potential for further mutually beneficial cooperation.
According to Chinese customs data, two-way trade between China and Angola reached $23 billion in 2023. China mainly imports crude oil from Angola and exports electromechanical and steel products and footwear to the African nation.
Xi highlighted Beijing’s readiness to ensure the sound implementation of key infrastructure projects in Angola, saying that the nation will support capable Chinese enterprises in conducting various forms of cooperation in Angola to aid the African nation’s agricultural modernization, industrialization, and economic diversification.
He expressed the hope that Angola can take stronger measures to protect the legal rights and safety of Chinese citizens and enterprises. According to the Foreign Ministry, there are over 100 Chinese State-owned and private enterprises operating in Angola, with approximately 30,000 Chinese citizens in the country.
Xi stressed that China welcomes the inflow of more high-quality products from Angola, including through platforms such as the China International Import Expo and the ChinaAfrica Economic and Trade Expo.
The nation will continue to ensure the sound implementation of projects such as sending medical teams to Angola, offering scholarships to Angolan students and enhancing cultural exchanges and people-to-people friendship, he added.
The president noted that the collective rise of developing countries is unstoppable.
China supports African countries and the African Union in solving African problems in African ways and maintaining regional peace and stability, and is willing to strengthen multilateral coordination with Angola and other African countries to protect the common interests of developing countries, Xi added.
Lourenco, who was making a threeday visit to China, emphasized that his country firmly adheres to the oneChina policy, and believes that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and the Taiwan question will be successfully resolved.
According to his social media account, the Angolan president also took part in a business forum with Chinese business leaders and visited Shandong province.
Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, also met with the Angolan president on March 15.
Yang Baorong, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of West-Asian and African Studies, said that China and Angola, which is rich in oil and mineral resources, have conducted highly fruitful cooperation in the area of crude oil and infrastructure development.
“The growing presence of Chinese companies has helped Angola extend the value chain of its rich natural resources,” he said, citing the example of the oil refinery being built in Angola by China National Chemical Engineering Co.
He added that stronger cooperation with China will help Angola develop its infrastructure, solve its financing challenges, and create more jobs.