Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has not recommended travel or trade restrictions, many Chinese citizens are voluntarily postponing travel to Angola and self-isolation if they have returned recently, as a way to minimize the risk of infection, the ambassador said at a press conference in Luanda.
Gong Tao, who estimates there are fewer than 50,000 Chinese citizens currently residing in the country, admits that the virus "is a risk" that needs to be addressed and will have an influence on economic activities and exchange between Angola and China, but pointed that the priority is to "overcome this challenge" and ensure the lives and safety of citizens.
"Economic relations and exchanges have time," he said.
China is Angola's main trading partner, with a community that is dedicated to various sectors of activity, concentrated essentially in Luanda, where there are gigantic commercial enterprises such as the City of China.
The diplomat said that he has been in contact with the authorities, with whom he has been working together on health care, as well as sharing information on the virus with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health.
Gong Tao also said that the embassy is "very attentive to the health conditions of the Chinese community" and praised the "solidarity and friendship" that has been shown by Angolan entities.
"We consider the good health of the Angolan people as important as that of the Chinese people," he said.
The ambassador said that his compatriots living in Angola "are healthy" and that the only suspect case, a citizen currently hospitalized in Luanda, presents a symptomatological picture similar to that of a normal flu and has evolved favourably, while awaiting the results of analyses that were sent to South Africa.
"We are united to face and win this battle against the coronavirus," Gong Tao stressed, calling for "joint efforts towards prevention" and saying China has maintained close contact with the WHO.
On Friday, the government ruled out the possibility of cancelling travel to China, considering, through Health Inspector General Miguel Oliveira, that "there is no reason to suspend flights or travel to and from China".
Speaking at a press conference on measures to prevent the new coronavirus, whose epicentre is the Chinese city of Wuhan, he noted that they are "screening at the main point of entry, which is the International Airport February 4" and by the end of Friday "we have not identified any who have symptoms of the disease, but teams are still on the ground to continue monitoring the situation," he said.
