Africa-Press – Angola. The Chinese ambassador to Angola stressed, Thursday (27), in Luanda, the excellence of cooperation between the two countries, stating that the ties contain specific areas that need to be properly explored to boost mutual progress.
Gong Tao evaluated the potential of the ties that unite the two peoples and States during a meeting with Angolan and foreign journalists, promoted by Chinese diplomacy to launch the celebrations of 40 years of Angola-China cooperation, to be celebrated in January of next year.
He added, by the way, that the two countries had entered an era of development and modernization. To illustrate the picture, he highlighted the potential of trade between Angola and China, which, from January to August, was valued at US$20 billion, with an increase of almost 30 percent in the same period last year.
The Chinese ambassador, Gong Tao, who was accompanied by the Secretary of State for Social Communication, Nuno Caldas, made it known that the Chinese authorities followed with special attention the inauguration speech of the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, in which he pointed the main lines for the country’s development and China saw opportunities with mutual advantages, which correspond to the Chinese Government’s development strategy.
When referring to energy exploration, from a global perspective, the Chinese ambassador said that “Angola can assume a greater role in this segment, taking into account the fact that it is the second largest oil producer in Africa”.
“Angola, in addition to oil, presents a diversification of its energy sources and China is interested in increasing cooperation in several domains”, stressed the diplomat.
Commercial partnership
Ambassador Gong Tao recalled that China was, over the last 15 years, Angola’s first trading partner. He highlighted, within the portfolio of projects, that China is evaluating, with the Angolan Government, the promotion of new investments, one of the packages that should deserve special attention from the two Governments is the tax exemption from zero to 98 percent. on goods from Angola and across Africa exported to China.
According to the Chinese ambassador, the growth in the volume of trade between the parties results from the increase in Chinese companies operating in the most varied sectors in Angola, as well as the Asian giant’s commitment to economic relations.
According to Gong Tao, in the last 20 years, Angola has received Chinese funding for various works in airports, railways, centralities, hospitals, schools and dams, contributing to the country’s growth.
Defender of peace and the challenge of modernization
Ambassador Gong Tao praised, in the area of peace and security, the role of Angola’s mediator in the conflict between the DRC and Rwanda, whose actions demonstrate the positive result that will have a great impact on the stability of the Great Lakes Region.
In terms of Defense and Security, Gong Tao made a historic incursion into China’s path, from the struggle for Independence, the civil war and the various invasions that the country was targeted, referring to the major changes registered in the operating system.
“China will continue to pursue its biggest goal, which is to achieve modernization with its own efforts and the help of other partners,” said the Chinese ambassador. He cited, by the way, the general lines of the 21st National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.
The main objective with Chinese modernization, he pointed out, is to guarantee a happier life for the people.
Chinese modernization, stressed Gong Tao, is 1.4 billion people, different from the “modernization” of other countries. Until now, the world has not known any country of this size that has managed to modernize at a material, cultural and ethical level.
“We cannot accept modernization with socio-economic development and with a difference between the various social strata. It will be a modernization of the Chinese path for relations with the rest of the world, always in defense of peace and common development”, he underlined.
The Chinese ambassador to Angola also made it known that his country is ready to contribute and defend world peace and share the opportunities offered for development with the rest of the world.
In the context of major changes and unprecedented challenges that the world is experiencing, he stressed, China will continue to follow its path adapted to its own realities.
Gong Tao assured that China will continue to support the development of other countries.
Strategic partner at crucial moments
In turn, the Secretary of State for Social Communication, Nuno Caldas, acknowledged that China has been a strategic partner for Angola.
“In crucial moments and in the most difficult phases, we always count on China’s support”, he underlined.
During the meeting with journalists, Nuno Caldas said that the Government will maintain a strategic partnership with China.
In the field of Social Communication, the Secretary of State said that the active partnership has allowed the country to train staff at major Chinese universities.
Nationalization of Sociedade Mineira de Catoca does not affect relations
Faced with the nationalization of Chinese shares in Sociedade Mineira de Catoca Lda, by a Presidential Decree made public last Wednesday and whether the measure affects relations between the two countries, the ambassador said he was not authorized to comment on the matter, and then underlined the partnership between the two nations in the most varied fields.
Still on the same subject, the Secretary of State for Social Communication, Nuno Caldas, said that the measure does not affect relations, especially at a time when there has been an expansion in the field of cooperation.
This is an isolated process that is being conducted by the Government. “May we have confidence in this good relationship with China, a country with a vocation for peace, progress and development”, he concluded.
The measure of public appropriation of the shareholdings in Sociedade Mineira de Catoca Lda, held by LL Internacional Holding BV, was taken due to the fact that it is subject to strong restrictive measures in the country and abroad, which led to the seizure of its shareholding by the National Service of Asset Recovery and the establishment of sanctions by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control.
It is the understanding of the President of the Republic, according to the Decree, that the maintenance of LL Internacional Holding BV in the corporate structure, with the current judicial and reputational problems, jeopardizes the strategy of Sociedade Mineira de Catoca Lda, since it makes it impossible to access vital functions for the development of current and future mining projects.
Appropriate quotas through the diploma signed by the Head of State are considered to be transferred to the State, regardless of any formalities, free of any encumbrances or charges, being enforceable against third parties after registration.
The management of the social participation now appropriate is attributed to ENDIAMA Mining Lda, which represents the State in all its rights, under the terms of the law.
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