Chinese-backed Mozambican firm Matchedje Motors was awarded the “Made in Mozambique” certificate by the authorities of the African nation, said the Chinese Embassy in Mozambique. It is the first Chinese-backed industrial project to receive such recognition from the Mozambican Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The Ministry said the award should serve to quicken the pace of Matchedje Motors’ development and help it to become “an African motor brand that is competitive on the global stage”.

Nearly 200 representatives of the Embassy, the Mozambican ministry and of Matchedje Motors attended on Wednesday a certificate presentation ceremony in Matola – near the country’s capital Maputo – the Embassy said in a statement.

The Ministry was quoted as praising the quality and the price of the vehicles from Matchedje Motors. “Even though the production scale [of Matchedje] is relatively small at the moment, it has gathered the support from the whole nation and has bright prospects,” the Ministry said.

Matola was incorporated four years ago in Matola, and is backed by China Tong Jian Investment.