"China's debt service is a matter that has negatively influenced the country's budget management and I believe that it must be the main reason or the most pressing reason for the President, João Lourenço's departure," said Alves da Rocha.
For the economist, the debt renegotiation should center the meeting between João Lourenço and Xi Jinping and is justified so that "the Government has greater maneuverability, meeting the country's tremendous financial needs".
"I don't believe, and I could be wrong, that the agenda includes negotiations for Angola to be able to become part of or be in the circle, even if far from the center, of joining the BRICS [group of emerging market countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa] expanded", he said.
The President of the Republic begins a three-day official visit to China on Friday to "address the future strategy of bilateral relations", the Presidency announced in a statement.
Angola continues to allocate a large part of its external public debt service to pay China, the country's largest creditor. The debt derives from Angola's rehabilitation process after the armed conflict that ended in 2002 and is guaranteed by oil exports.
Alves da Rocha understands, on the other hand, that João Lourenço and Xi Jinping should take advantage of the opportunity to expand bilateral cooperation and define new sectors of cooperation between Luanda and Beijing, considering that some of Angola's positions have caused "some irritation" to China.
According to the economist, since the President of the Republic came to power he has taken some positions that "hurt" China, such as the country's proximity to the United States and the Asian giant's withdrawal from some investments in Angola.
"I don't know if now the Angolan delegation will be able to undo some mistakes and some irritants that are visible on the part of China, which was upset with Angola, in fact, hence the delay in appointing China's new ambassador", he highlighted.
"Mistakes such as the issue of the Lobito Corridor [whose management was handed over to a European consortium and has North American financing], the issue of other projects in which China was involved, I must say that this is a strategic option for Angola", he stressed.
The director of the Center for Studies and Scientific Research at the Catholic University of Angola also said that for around ten years what he calls "de-oncidentalization" of global economic development has been taking place and "it is time for Angola to have a clear position on its position in global geostrategy".
And he considered that economic growth and development will be increasingly directed towards the East and defended the need for the MPLA and the Government to have a position, given the global positions of the USA and China, "very differentiated and in other even antagonistic cases", he said.
Alves da Rocha warned that agreements between Angola and the USA could be "pinched" if Donald Trump guarantees his return to the White House: "I don't know what could happen with these agreements that Angola signed with the USA with the Lobito Corridor, for the aluminum factory, for solar energy", he concluded.
On the first day of the visit, João Lourenço meets with Xi Jinping, and also has scheduled meetings with the Chinese Prime Minister, Li Qiang, and the president of the National People's Assembly (parliament), Zhao Leji.
A China-Angola business forum and the signing of a Strategic Memorandum of Understanding between the Geological Institute of Angola and the Jiangxi Geology and Mineral Resources Office are scheduled.
The event aims to present the geological-mining potential, investment opportunities, the legislation that governs the activity, as well as existing projects that require investment or financial partnerships.
