According to Gong Tao, trade has already reached 14.42 billion dollars in the first half of this year, stating that trade remains at a good pace in the first six months of 2022, with a year-on-year increase of 33 percent, with China continuing to be Angola's main economic partner.
The diplomat revealed that the exemption of customs tariffs for Angolan exports to China is being negotiated, which are led by oil, followed by ornamental stones.
According to the ambassador, in May a freighter departed for China carrying 50,000 tonnes of granite bound for China, which also imports other minerals, aluminum and copper and by-products.
On the Chinese side, household appliances, machinery and equipment, as well as vehicles, are exported, with Chinese cars having good acceptance in the Angolan market, said Gong Tao.
The Chinese diplomat highlighted that the objective is to strengthen cooperation and facilitate trade, recalling that about two months ago an air cargo transport agreement was signed, creating the Changsha/Luanda/São Paulo (China/Angola/Brazil) route.
"China is optimistic about Angola's economic development", stressed Tao, adding that the Chinese side is "with open arms to help in the transport of goods" and for there to be more choices in the transport of Chinese and Angolan products.
"Angola is experiencing economic growth and China, with its population of 1,400 million, is increasingly becoming an attractive consumer market", he stressed.
He also presented investment figures, noting that between 2018 and 2021, 24 investment projects by Chinese companies worth 225 million dollars were presented, with China ranking third in the ranking of foreign investment in Angola.
The Chinese ambassador pointed out the opportunities for strengthening cooperation in the celebration of the 40th anniversary of China-Angola diplomatic relations, on 12 January 2023, and underlined that when peace was restored in Angola, 20 years ago, it was China who "quickly stretched out his hands" to help rebuild the African country.
He listed the infrastructures that the Chinese side helped to build (more than 2800 kilometers of railways, 100,000 dwellings, 20,000 kilometers of roads, schools, hospitals, dams, ports) to demonstrate that cooperation has had mutual benefits. and stressed that China "knew how to understand the difficulties on the Angolan side" and adopt a debt moratorium, which currently amounts to 21.4 billion dollars during the covid-19 pandemic phase.
He also pointed out that in the last five years bilateral relations had progress in all areas, with meetings and telephone conversations between the two heads of state, João Lourenço and Xi Jinping, which allowed reaching "important consensus", considering that the partnership with Angola is a model of China-Africa cooperation.
Asked about complaints of discrimination and conflicts between Angolan workers and Chinese companies, he stressed that Chinese companies are encouraged to give "good treatment to their workers, whether Chinese, Angolan or of another nationality".
Gong Tao also said that about three weeks ago he visited the Caculo Cabaça dam, where a confrontation broke out in May that led to the death of at least two workers, to learn about labor relations with the unions, which he considered fundamental to have "trust" and "good working relationship".
He also guaranteed that China is committed to the transfer of knowledge and technology to Angola, giving as an example, Huawei, which created an 'Office park' in Luanda with training and research centres.
