Africa-Press – Angola. On January 12, 1983, China and Angola established diplomatic relations, opening a new chapter in the history of traditional friendship between the two countries.
By Gong Tao, Chinese Ambassador to Angola
In these 40 years, regardless of changes in international and internal situations, China and Angola have always been united in mutual assistance, and achieved important results in exchange and cooperation in various fields, setting several examples in terms of cooperation.
Over the past 40 years, we have set an example for South-South cooperation. The deep friendship between China and Angola was in line with the two peoples’ struggle for independence and national liberation, making us good partners and brothers.
We always support each other in choosing our own development paths, which correspond to our national conditions.
We understand and support each other on issues that involve each other’s fundamental interests and major concerns, we jointly safeguard the international system with the UN at its core, and we support genuine multilateralism.
We maintain close coordination and cooperation in international and regional affairs and safeguard international fairness and justice and the common interests of developing countries, making contributions not only to solidarity and cooperation among developing countries, but also to the prosperity and stability of the world.
In its cooperation with Angola, China has always insisted on mutual respect and equality, has never added any political conditions to its cooperation, and has never interfered in Angola’s internal affairs.
Under the impetus of China-Angola cooperation, more and more countries are paying more attention to Angola and have strengthened their cooperation with the country. As a good friend of Angola, China is sincerely pleased with this.
Over the past 40 years, we have set an example for China-Africa mutually beneficial cooperation. China-Angola pragmatic cooperation has been constantly developed and consolidated, forming an excellent convergence of interests.
We created a new financing cooperation model. We built an important cooperation platform: the China-Africa Cooperation Forum. We deepened cooperation within the framework of the “Belt and Road” Initiative.
To date, Chinese companies have built around 3,000 km of railways in Angola, 20,000 km of roads, 100,000 social housing units, 100 schools, 50 hospitals, and much more.
Works completed and still in progress include the Caculo Cabaça Dam, the New Luanda International Airport, the new cities of Kilamba and Dundo, the Benguela Railway, the Soyo Thermal Power Station, etc.
A large number of Chinese companies invested in Angola, making an important contribution to the diversification and industrialization of the economy.
The armed forces of the two countries have exchanged and cooperated in the fields of military equipment and technology. The two countries also carried out police cooperation, with the two parties increasingly deepening personal exchanges and professional training.
To date, China has been Angola’s largest trading partner, largest export market and an important source of investment for many years, while Angola is the second largest trading partner and largest exporter of oil to China in Africa. China-Angola cooperation is at the forefront of China-Africa cooperation.
Over the past 40 years, we have set an example of friendship between Chinese and African peoples. China has actively supported Angola’s development and provided assistance through various grant projects, such as CINFOTEC Huambo, Luanda General Hospital, Agricultural Technologies Demonstration Center in Mazozo, and the Venâncio de Moura Diplomatic Academy.
According to the needs of the Angolan side, China organized training for more than 3,000 Angolan officials in the fields of commerce, agriculture, health, media and police; sent five medical teams, made up of 70 doctors, who received almost 400,000 Angolan patients; provided hundreds of scholarships to Angolan students, and helped nurture Angolan talent in various industries.
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries have persisted in solidarity and mutual support, and have carried out a series of fruitful cooperation in the areas of vaccines, tests and the acquisition of pandemic prevention materials, promoting health cooperation as a new high point of bilateral cooperation.
Chinese companies in Angola are actively fulfilling their social responsibilities, and various chambers of commerce and the Chinese community were enthusiastic about the charity and continue to give back to Angolan society through charitable donations, scholarships and poverty alleviation projects .
The Confucius Institute of the University of Agostinho Neto and other Chinese language teaching institutions have given wings to Sino-Angolan cooperation, more and more Chinese films and cultural products and entertainment groups have entered Angola, and the literary works of Angolan writers have been translated into China, helping the people of both countries to better understand each other’s history and culture.
The great Chinese philosopher Confucius said: “at forty you have no doubts”. This means that a person, when he reaches the age of forty, already has his understanding of life, and it cannot be confused and shaken by external influences.
After 40 years, Sino-Angolan relations have already become a strategic choice for both countries, more mature and more resolute.
We believe that, under the leadership of the two heads of state and with the joint efforts of the two governments and peoples, bilateral relations between China and Angola will continue to grow steadily and vigorously, ushering in an even better future.
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