Angola–China relations

Angola–China relations

China
Angola

Angola–China relations date back to pre-independent Angola. Today they are based on an emerging trade relationship. As of 2011, Angola is China's second biggest trading partner in Africa.

History

During Kenya's independence ceremonies in 1963, Chinese Foreign Minister Chen Yi told Jonas Savimbi, the Secretary-General of the Union of Peoples of Northern Angola, that his country would give the UPNA "large-scale military aid". Three years later, UNITA separatists, led by Savimbi, attacked Portuguese workers in Cassamba. Armed with only ten NATO 7.62 rifles, purchased with Chinese aid, the attack failed to stop timber operations and Portuguese colonial authorities killed several UNITA members.[1]

Fissures

On December 3, 1975, in a meeting with U.S. and Chinese officials, including Vice-Premier Deng Xiaoping, Foreign Minister Chiao Kuan-hua, President Gerald Ford, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft and head of the U.S. Liaison Office in Peking George H. W. Bush Chinese entreaties about U.S. continued participation in Angola via South Africa, resulted in Kissinger responding that the US is prepared to "push out South Africa as soon as an alternative military force can be created". Yet, the Chinese still supported the FLNA and UNITA against the MPLA. Ford then said: "We had nothing to do with the South African involvement and we will take action to get South Africa out, provided a balance can be maintained for their not being in." He also said that he had approved US$35 million more in support of the north above what had been done before. Discussions entailed who should support FNLA or UNITA, by which means and in what manner, considering the sensitivities of the neighbouring countries.[2]

President of Angola Agostinho Neto condemned the Chinese invasion of Vietnam in February 1979.[3]

On August 25, 2012, 37 Chinese nationals, arrested in Angola due to their alleged involvement in criminal acts against Angolans, were extradited and due to be tried in China.[4][5]

Political ties

Angola established relations with the People's Republic of China in 1983.[6]

Economic ties

As of 2007, Angola was China's biggest trading partner in Africa.[7] Trade between the two countries was worth US$24.8 billion in 2010.[8] In 2011 and in the first 8 months of 2012 it was the second largest trading partner of China in Africa, after South Africa.[9]

Chinese Development Finance to Angola

Since the first Forum on China Africa Cooperation conference in 2000, Beijing has completed $465 million of official development finance projects in Angola (financial amounts normalized in 2009 dollars).[10] This includes a $90 million loan from the Exim Bank of China for the rehabilitation of the Luanda railway and the construction of a 45 km electricity distribution line between Quifangondo and Mabubas.[11] Angola has also received a $1 billion oil-back line of credit for the China Exim bank to repair the country's infrastructure.[12]

Bilateral visits

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao visited Angola in June 2006, offering a US$9 billion loan for infrastructure improvements in return for petroleum. The PRC has invested heavily in Angola since the end of the civil war in 2002.[13] João Manuel Bernardo, the current ambassador of Angola to China, visited the PRC in November 2007.[14]

See also

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ Walker, John Frederick (2004). A Certain Curve of Horn: The Hundred-Year Quest for the Giant Sable Antelope of Angola. p. 147.
  2. ↑ "Document obtained by National Security Archive, from National Archives Record Group 59. Records of the Department of State, Policy Planning Staff, Director's Files (Winston Lord), 1969-1977, Box 373" (PDF). Gwu.edu. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  3. ↑ Winrow, Gareth M. (1990). The Foreign Policy of the GDR in Africa. p. 115.
  4. ↑ "Angola deports China 'gangsters'". BBC. 2012-08-25. Retrieved 2012-08-25.
  5. ↑ "Angola extradites suspected Chinese gangsters". Al Jazeera English. 2012-08-26. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  6. ↑ "China in Angola: An emerging energy partnership". The Jamestown Foundation. 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-11-28. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  7. ↑ Lucy Ash (2007-12-04). "China in Africa: Developing ties". BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 December 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-27.
  8. ↑ "China pledges $20bn in credit for Africa at summit". BBC News Online. BBC. 2012-07-19. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  9. ↑ "Mozambique-China Trade Continues to Grow". allafrica.com. 2012-12-09. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  10. ↑ Austin Strange, Bradley C. Parks, Michael J. Tierney, Andreas Fuchs, Axel Dreher, and Vijaya Ramachandran. 2013. China’s Development Finance to Africa: A Media-Based Approach to Data Collection. CGD Working Paper 323. Washington DC: Center for Global Development.
  11. ↑ Austin Strange, Bradley C. Parks, Michael J. Tierney, Andreas Fuchs, Axel Dreher, and Vijaya Ramachandran (2013). "China's Development Finance to Africa: A Media-Based Approach to Data Collection. CGD Working Paper 323. Washington DC: Center for Global Development". Aiddatachina.org. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  12. ↑ Austin Strange, Bradley C. Parks, Michael J. Tierney, Andreas Fuchs, Axel Dreher, and Vijaya Ramachandran (2013). "China's Development Finance to Africa: A Media-Based Approach to Data Collection. CGD Working Paper 323. Washington DC: Center for Global Development". Aiddatachina.org. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
  13. ↑ "Angola: China's African foothold". BBC News. 2007-06-20. Archived from the original on 2008-01-04. Retrieved 2007-12-24.
  14. ↑ "Angola: Ambassador Considers Relations With China Excellent". Angola Press Agency via AllAfrica. 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
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