Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's recent visit to Angola helped the two sides consolidate their strategic partnership and injected vitality to the relationship, Chinese Ambassador to Angola Gao Kexiang said Tuesday.
While a short visit, Li's in-depth talks with Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos covered such areas as bilateral ties, the international situation, trade cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and Gao described Li's welcome in Angola as "Chinamania."
"Though the visit is less than 24 hours, it is a fruitful one with a high-level reception and new ideas, and once again triggered Chinamania in this African country," said the ambassador.
"Both China and Angola attached great importance to this visit, which is the first one of leaders from major countries to Luanda in recent years. The Angolan side held an exceptionally high reception for Premier Li."
The discussions covered the strengthening of the partnership and cooperation in various fields. "Li said that the two sides should further strengthen the role of the two governments in coordinating and leading bilateral cooperation, steer cooperation into an industry-driven mode, and deepen cooperation in energy, infrastructure, finance, agriculture, urbanization and manufacturing," said Gao.
Dos Santos spoke highly of Li's suggestion as well as his proposal of jointly constructing high-speed railway, expressway and aviation networks in Africa, said the Chinese diplomat.
"The two leaders also witnessed the signing of a series of cooperation deals on economy, technology, health care, finance and personnel exchanges," said Gao.
Another point of interest was Li's concern for Chinese companies and people overseas, Gao said. Despite the busy agenda, the premier was able to visit CITIC Construction Company and a Chinese medical team working in Angola on the sidelines.
Li held the first seminar of its kind on the consular protection of compatriots living abroad with more than 40 representatives of Chinese companies in Angola, to learn about their advice and suggestions on overseas livelihood.
Such initiatives as exerting efforts to strengthen consular protection and combining Chinese compatriots livelihood with local people's, proposed by Li, are of significance for protecting Chinese people living abroad, Gao said.
Overall, Gao believed that Li's visit injected vitality to the China-Angola relationship, and that the strategic partnership between the two would be lifted to a new high level with the implementation of deals signed during the tour.
