Luanda - Angola's debt to China went from 17.9 billion US dollars to 16 billion US dollars in 2023, thanks to an updated payment method, China's ambassador to Angola Zhang Bin said in an exclusive interview to ANGOP.
The diplomat, who spoke of the current state of cooperation between the two countries, recalled that in March of this year, both countries agreed on optimizing and updating the form of payment of the debt.
According to the Chinese diplomat, the form of payment is currently normal, as planned and that in the future, financing cooperation between the two countries will see further developments.
Zhang Bin reassured that the debt is not a concern in relations between the two countries, since, for him, it is normal for a nation that wants to develop to take out loans and, in the case of China and Angola, they are in a good cycle.
For the diplomat, cooperation between Angola and China, which has lasted 41 years, is at its best moment in history, with the parties analyzing new areas of contact to raise the quality of the partnership to assist the country's development.
The diplomat added that as a result of this cooperation, Chinese companies have rehabilitated thousands of kilometers of railway line, roads, built schools, hospitals and social housing projects.
During the interview, the full text of which ANGOP will publish in the next few days, the ambassador announced new areas in which cooperation will take place in the future, with highlights to the digital technology field.
He also spoke about the preparations for the China-Africa Cooperation Forum to take place from September 4 to 6 in Beijing (China), as well as the Asian country's role in achieving peace and security on the African continent, staff training and health.
Zhang Bin said China's President Xi Jinpin has reserved a surprise for the African nations, which will be announced at the summit.
Since 2007, Angola has been China's biggest trading partner in Africa, with a turnover of 24.8 billion US dollars in 2010 alone.
In the following 10 years, the value of trade with China went up to 61 percent. China is currently Angola's biggest creditor, based on various credit lines opened by the Chinese government through state-owned banks.
The debt, which is essentially paid off with the value of oil sales, was around 23 billion dollars by 2019. In 2018, China approved a new financing line of two billion US dollars.
In Angola, China operates in the most varied areas of the country's economic and social life, with a strong presence in staff training and the construction sector. ART/TED/AMP
