China and Angola are accelerating talks on new co-operation, including a deal on visas and one on currency conversion, said China’s Ambassador to Angola, Cui Aimin, in comments on Monday.

Mr Cui Aimin added – as quoted by Angolan news agency Angop – the two countries were also discussing a new agreement on mutual protection of bilateral investments.

Speaking in Angola’s capital, Luanda, ahead of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Mr Cui Aimin stressed Angola was a strategic partner for China on the African continent. He added it would be possible for the quality and depth of such co-operation to be enhanced, Angop reported.

According to the diplomat, credit lines provided so far by the Chinese Government have helped Angola to restore or newly build 2,800 kilometres of railway, more than 1,000 kilometres of roads and around 130,000 so-called social houses for lower income families.

Credit lines from China also enabled the construction of 1,000 kilometres of electric power lines and 14 power substations in Angola, as well as 78 schools, 39 hospitals and agricultural irrigation projects covering 10,000 hectares, the report added.

The Second Summit of FOCAC will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on December 4 and 5.