Angola and China on Friday vowed to promote cooperation in efforts to forge long-term stable cooperative relations between the two countries.  

Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan, who is in Luanda for a visit, extended greetings and best wishes to Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos on behalf of Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Zeng said President Dos Santos paid two visits to China and as an old friend of the Chinese people, he has made significant contributions to consolidating and deepening the friendship between China and Angola.

Sino-Angolan relations saw a stable development and their mutual understanding and trust have deepened and bilateral cooperation expanded constantly since they forged diplomatic ties 22 years ago, he said.

He thanked Angola for its adherence to the one-China policy and its resolute support for China on human rights and other major issues.

He said China is willing to boost high-level exchanges with Angola and intensify discussions and coordination in dealing with regional and global affairs in efforts to further advance the bilateral ties.

The economies of China and Angola are complementary to each other in nature and their bilateral trade has been growing quickly, Zeng said, noting that Angola has become China's second largest trade partner in Africa and the trade volume between the two countries hit US$4.9 billion last year.

Angola is at present at a very important stage of recovery and reconstruction in its development, which provides it with a good chance in expanding bilateral economic and technological cooperation, he said.

Dos Santos said there exists a traditional friendship between the peoples of China and Angola and the Angolan people and government are grateful to China for its precious support for the country's economic recovery and development.

The president repeated Angola's commitment to the one-China policy and expressed hopes for concerted efforts of the two sides to push their ties to a new height.

During his visit, Zeng also held talks with Angolan Prime Minister Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos. The two sides pledged their further efforts to enhance bilateral relations and collaborations in international affairs.

The two countries signed nine economic and trade cooperation agreements, covering development of energy, mineral resources and telecommunications in Angola, as part of China's efforts to assist the post-war reconstruction in the southwestern African country, one of the poorest nations in the world due to its 27-year-long civil war. 

Zeng left Luanda for Mauritius after concluding his three-day official visit to Angola on Saturday. He was seen off by Angolan Prime Minister Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos at the airport.

(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2005)