Angola

Note: This column mainly includes countries along the Belt and Road and countries that have signed cooperation agreements with China on Belt and Road Initiative.

The year 2013 marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Angola. The strategic partnership between the two countries moved forward steadily, and the bilateral exchanges and cooperation in all areas advanced smoothly.

The two countries enjoyed frequent political exchanges. On 12 January, President Hu Jintao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi exchanged congratulatory messages with President José Eduardo dos Santos and Foreign Minister Georges Rebelo Chikoti of Angola respectively on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. On 11 January, the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Angola's Embassy in China jointly held a reception in Beijing for the anniversary, and CPPCC Vice Chairman Ablet Abdurixit attended the reception. On 14 March, Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos sent congratulatory letters separately to Xi Jinping on his election as the President of China and Li Keqiang on his election as the Premier of the State Council. On 25 March, Angolan Foreign Minister Chikoti sent a congratulatory letter to Foreign Minister Wang Yi on his assumption of office. Angolan Foreign Minister Chikoti paid an official visit to China from 15 to 18 September. He met with Vice Premier Wang Yang and had talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The two foreign ministers signed and exchanged certificates of the instrument of ratification of the Treaty on Extradition Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Angola. From 21 to 28 October, General Geraldo Nunda, the Chief of Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces, paid an official visit to China. He met with General Chang Wanquan, State Councilor and Minister of Defense, and had talks with General Fang Fenghui, member of the Central Military Commission and Chief of the PLA General Staff.

In 2013, Gao Yan, Vice Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR, and Wan Xuejun, Assistant Chairman of All-China Youth Federation visited Angola separately. Visits to China were paid successively by Jo o Baptista Borges, Minister of Energy and Water, Fernando Fonseca, Minister of Construction, José Vieira Dias Van-Dúnem, Minister of Health, Juli o António, President of the Court of Audit, Bento Sebasti o Bento, member of the Central Politburo of the People's Movement for Liberation of Angola (MPLA), First Secretary of the MPLA in Luanda and Governor of Luanda, and Sergio Joaquim, First Secretary of Youth of People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola. Rui Mangueira, Minister of Justice and Human Rights, and Maria Bragan a, Secretary of State of Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, jointly led a delegation to attend the fourth Ministerial Meeting of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation Between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries held in Macao.

Business cooperation between the two countries continued to deepen. Two-way trade stayed at a high level. Smooth progress was made in bilateral cooperation in the form of "mutually preferential loans". Angola stays China's second largest trading partner in Africa, an important engineering contracting market and an oil supplier for China. Measures on Angolarelated projects launched under the FOCAC and the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation Between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries were further implemented. China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) acquired a 10% stake in the US-based Marathon Oil on Angola Block 31. Construction was started on the first China-invested pharmaceutical plant in Angola. Over 40 Chinese enterprises collectively participated in the 30th Edition of International Fair of Luanda, set up the first Chinese Pavilion and hosted China's Day activities.

Exchanges and cooperation in other areas continued to expand. In July, the China-Angola working group on labor services held its first meeting in Beijing. On 17 October, the Treaty on Extradition Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Angola officially came into effect. On 23 October, the two countries signed a protocol on sending the third Chinese medical team to Angola. In December, the third Chinese medical team arrived in Angola and started its work. In October, the two countries signed a contract for China to help Angola conduct geological survey.

Source: fmprc.gov.cn