São Tomé and Príncipe Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada has said China will provide his country with what he described as “”significant funds”” over the next five years, Lusa reports.

The Portuguese news agency quotes Mr Trovoada as saying so in an interview with São Tomé and Príncipe public broadcaster TVS.

The report says Mr Trovoada, speaking on the last day of an official visit to China, told TVS that the funds would accrue from “donations, budgetary assistance, waiving of old debt we had with China, and a number of co-operation initiatives”.

Mr Trovoada said the money showed the willingness of China to co-operate with his country. He described China as “by far, the number one bilateral partner”” of São Tomé and Príncipe.

The prime minister said President Xi Jinping had suggested in a meeting that their countries co-operate in building infrastructure, Lusa says.