A Chinese delegation led by a government vice-minister is due in São Tomé and Príncipe for the first meeting of the Sino-São Tomé co-operation commission, Lusa reports.

The Portuguese news agency quotes São Tomé and Príncipe Minister of Finance, Trade and the Economy Américo Ramos as saying the commission will give priority to discussing the construction of a deep-water port and the renovation and extension of the international airport in his country.

Separately, the news agency reports that the São Tomé government has begun distributing for sale 1,000 tonnes of rice given by China as food aid.

“This once again demonstrates the friendly sentiment of the Chinese people towards the São Tomé people,” Lusa quotes Chinese Ambassador to São Tomé and Príncipe Wang Wei as saying.