On Feb 25th, 2005, the president of Angola, Dos Santos received Zeng Peiyan, the visiting Vice Premier of the State Council of China in Luanda. Both sides vowed to look forward to the future, broaden the cooperation fields and promote the level of bilateral cooperation in an effort to forge long-term stable cooperative relations.
Dos Santos expressed his welcome for Zeng Peiyan's visit. He said that China and Angola enjoy traditional friendship and the Angolan government and people are grateful for the precious support of the Chinese people for Angola's economic recovery and development. China has scored great achievements since China's reform and opening-up. It is the strategic choice for the Angola government to develop cooperative relations with China. The president reaffirmed Angola's commitment to the one-China principle and stance. He expressed hopes that both countries make concerted efforts to strengthen the friendly cooperation in all fields and push the bilateral ties to a new level.
Zeng Peiyan said that China-Angola relations witnessed stable development. The mutual understanding and political trust have deepened and bilateral cooperation in different fields has been expanding constantly since the establishment of diplomatic ties 22 years ago. He thanked Angola for its adherence to the one-China policy and its resolute support for China on many issues, such as the issue of human rights. He said China is willing to boost high-level exchanges with Angola and intensify discussions and coordination in dealing with regional and international affairs so as to further the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.
Zeng Peiyan said the economies of China and Angola are complementary to each other and the bilateral trade relations grow quickly. Angola has become China's second largest trade partner in Africa and the trade volume between the two countries hit $4.9 billion last year. Angola is at a very important stage of recovery and reconstruction, providing opportunities for both sides to expand bilateral economic and technological cooperation. China is willing to work with Angola to look forward to the future, broaden the cooperation in different fields and raise the level of their cooperation.
On the same day, Zeng Peiyan also held talks with Angolan Prime Minister Fernando Dos Santos. Zeng said that the cooperation of both sides has recently enjoyed important achievements in many fields including bilateral trade, infrastructure building, health, education and agriculture. Zeng hoped that both sides actively implement relevant economic cooperative agreements and expand the cooperation in the fields of energy, mineral resources, human resource training, aviation and telecommunications. China will provide economic supports in its best capability. The Chinese side will encourage and support companies of all kinds of ownership to participate in the infrastructure building and other areas and exploit new cooperative method and way. He believed that the economic cooperation of two countries will reach a higher level by taking practical and effective actions in the sprit of mutual complementarity, mutual benefit, win-win principle and common development.
Following the meeting related departments of two governments and enterprises signed cooperative agreements and letters of intent in the fields of economy, technology, energy, mineral resources and communications.
During the visit, Zeng Peiyan attended the commencement ceremony of the second phase of the electricity transmission project in Luanda, which was undertaken by China. He also visited the staffs in the Chinese embassy and representatives from Chinese enterprises.
