China hopes to enhance parliamentary co-operation with Angola, said Gao Kexiang, the Chinese Ambassador to that African country. Mr Gao, who is at the end of his diplomatic mission there, was speaking on Wednesday.

Mr Gao argued – as quoted by Angolan news agency Angop – that the Angolan Parliament is playing a very active role in the country’s development. He added exchanges with its Chinese counterpart were of interest to China, as both bodies had a lot of governmental experience.

“The great desire of the Angolan people to work for the development of their country, as well as the consolidation of friendship between Angola and the People’s Republic of China were issues that marked my mission in this African country,” Mr Gao told the press.

Mr Gao made his remarks in the Angolan capital Luanda, after a meeting with the President of Angola’s National Assembly, Fernando Dias dos Santos.

Angola’s President, José Eduardo dos Santos, visited China in June, when the two nations signed several co-operation agreements. Asked to comment on this, Mr Gao said “good economic relations between Angola and China have not pleased many [other] countries”.