The year 2023 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Angola. On this important occasion, João Salvador dos Santos Neto, Angolan ambassador to China, sat down with ChinAfrica to share his views on the development of the bilateral relations. Edited excerpts of the interview follow:

Angolan ambassador to China João Salvador dos Santos Neto

Political interactions in China-Angola bilateral relations

We are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between the Republic of Angola and the People’s Republic of China. It was on 12 January 1983 that the two countries formalised this will and began a new phase in their relations.

The relations between our two countries have developed in the most diverse sectors of each country’s life. The relationship at the diplomatic political level is embodied in political consultations and concertation at the level of multilateral forums such as the UN, the Forum Macao, and others, and at the economic, financial, health, human resources training and many other levels.

In general, the relations are excellent. Angola and China have developed a strategic partnership, but there is still a great potential to grow, mainly in the economic field, as there are ingredients for the economies of both countries to be complementary and in these terms, a relationship with shared gains can be configured.

There is no doubt that there is political will among the leadership to make it happen.

At the end of 2018, Angola’s President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço travelled to China on two occasions - the first to participate in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit and the second for a state visit, which took place about a month later. On the sidelines of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, the Presidents of Angola and China held bilateral talks. During the state visit, the President of Angola held meetings with the top leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Premier Li Keqiang. The visits and meetings were very successful.

Chinese investment in Angola

The Chinese are following with great interest all the reforms that are being carried out in Angola, which improve the business environment and make the country more attractive to investors.

In March 2019, initiated by Angolan Consulate General in Guangzhou in south China’s Guangdong Province, an economic forum was held in Beijing, which was attended by about 160 companies. These were mainly companies from the rich Guangdong Province and some from China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. About three months later, a dozen and a half companies sent delegations to Angola and we know that many of them have established branches in Angola.

In October 2019, a road show on mines was held in Beijing. Several mining projects in Angola in need of investment were presented and about 80 Chinese companies from the sector were present. In terms of attendance of companies, it was the biggest among all the road shows held in several countries.

In the same year, in February and November, high-level delegations of major Chinese companies visited our country, four of which were from the Hong Kong, and these delegations were headed by their respective CEOs. Some of these were received by the President Lourenço, who listened to each of them and discussed the projects they intended to carry out in Angola. The lowest investment promised at the time was around $500 million.

Unfortunately, at the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic broke out worldwide, which has negatively influenced the realisation of some private investment projects. The pandemic created an environment of uncertainty, and as a result, many companies preferred to wait for better times.

Huawei’s Angolan employee (right) presents products to a visitor at the inauguration ceremony of Huawei Angola Tech Park in Luanda, Angola, on 14 November 2022 (XINHUA)

But, at the same time, it is essential to remember that several projects continued even in the context of the pandemic. The Cafu water transfer system is a reality, mainly in Cunene Province, where the drought has taken human lives. Chinese IT giant Huawei has established a training centre that will train 2,000 young Angolans annually. This will contribute a lot to the digitalisation of our country. A special mention should be made to the Caculo-Cabaça Hydroelectric Project, due to its magnitude and strategic importance to the economic and social development of the country. Even in the difficult context of the pandemic, the Chinese partners and Angolan workers didn’t give up, and continued the work. Today, its development is visible and it is possible to project its benefit.

Key areas of future cooperation

During a meeting at the inauguration for his second term in September 2022, President Lourenço discussed several aspects of the future cooperation between the two countries with Liu Yuxi, special representative of the Chinese government on African affairs. There is commitment from both parties to hold the meeting of the Steering Committee for Cooperation in the first months of this year. This high-level meeting will evaluate the state of cooperation between the two countries. It will define the new direction, taking into account the main challenges and interests of each of the countries and the international context in which we live.

The preparation process is underway, and there will be new elements. On the MoU on agriculture and livestock, from a technical point of view, there is necessary consensus except for a few details. This MoU will bring the necessary comfort for large Chinese companies to invest in large-scale production. This is one of the sectors defined by our government as a priority, due to its importance in the production of food and also because it is a sector that generates countless jobs.

In our work to attract investment, we have insisted on appealing to Chinese investors to associate their investments with the technical and professional training of young Angolans who are eager to actively participate in the transformations that the country needs, the final result of which will be the improvement of the living conditions of Angolans.

We have also appealed to the Chinese companies operating in Angola or intend to invest in Angola to hire young Angolans who finish their trainings in China. Their universities train them and they should be trusted due to the quality of the training, and the fact that they speak the Chinese language, and they know the habits and customs of the Chinese people. They can be very useful in the integration of the Chinese people into the Angolan society.